


Two Sides to Every Coin

by Racey



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:08:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 87,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22173070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Racey/pseuds/Racey
Summary: Ichigo has a what?
Relationships: Abarai Renji/Kuchiki Byakuya, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo, Hirako Shinji/Coyote Starrk
Comments: 12
Kudos: 101





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Ichigo, how was class today?" she asked.

"It was fun! Tatsuki showed me how to do an uppercut!"

She chuckled, her warm brown eyes glowing with mirth. The silence that followed wasn't an awkward one at all, more like, finding comfort in one another's presence. Arriving at a street cross-walk, she reached down and grabbed a small hand before making sure it was clear to move.

Neither expected what happened next.

XOXOXO

His eyes struggled open, only to immediately shut again. The room he was in was obnoxiously white and blinding, like trying to look directly at the sun. He didn't know where he was, but he did remember hearing a scream and being pushed. He tried opening his eyes again, this time slower.

"Dad?" he croaked.

His mouth and throat felt like they were full of cotton.

"Ichigo! You're awake! Thank goodness!" his father exclaimed, reaching for his hand.

"Where is this place? Where's Mom?"

His father turned his head and glanced at the door as if he expected someone to appear. Ichigo was too young to notice the way the man's jaw tightened and the way his eyes misted.

"Dad?"

"This is the hospital, Ichigo. You were hit by a car."

His eyes widened. _What? How? But_...

"Where is Mom?" he asked again.

"Mom was hurt by the car too. She-she's-" his father's voice faltered. "She's in heaven now, Ichigo."

He watched in horror as his father's tears slowly fell. His whole body had gone rigid and numb. _Mom_. _In heaven now_. _Impossible_. _He was fine, so that meant that she was fine, too_. _But then, why would his father say that? His old man would never lie to him_. _He was confused and wanted to be alone for a while_. _He needed to think_. He turned to his left, facing away from his father, and pain exploded in his arm.

"AH!"

"Ichigo! You can't lay that way! Your arm is broken!" his father admonished, face still wet with tears.

He looked down. Sure enough, his left arm was covered in a blue cast and held in place by a blue and white sling. A lump rose in his throat, threatening to choke him, and his temples throbbed like a bass-line. _Why?_ His eyes filled with hot, stinging tears. _Why his Mom?_ He clenched his teeth so hard he could feel and hear them grinding together. _Why not him?_ His right hand balled up into a tight fist. _Why did she have to die?_ His already blurred vision began to fade at the edges. He couldn't do anything to keep his mother from dying. He was useless. Everything went black as he slipped into unconsciousness.

XOXOXO

Isshin Kurosaki stood in the doorway of his son's room watching the boy sleep. Ichigo had been in denial for over a month after Masaki's death. Granted, it had been hard for the entire family, but Ichigo...

Sheets rustled as the boy shifted in his bed. Isshin strode over to the window that had been left open and closed it softly. He tucked the blanket under Ichigo's chin, went back to the doorway and watched for a few more minutes. Sighing, he finally shut the door, and moved to the next room. Turning the knob and pushing the door open, he peeked his head around the edge to see that his twin daughters, Yuzu and Karin, were still fast asleep. Smiling softly, he shut the door, then shuffled down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"How has he been holding up?"

"He was acting strangely for a while, but now he seems just fine. He hasn't had a fight in two months," Isshin said and poured himself a glass of the whiskey Urahara provided.

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

Urahara snorted. "You don't sound very convinced."

Isshin swirled the contents of his glass around after taking a mouthful, his brows furrowed and lips pursed. "I just don't want him to bottle everything up inside, only to explode later on," he finally stated.

Urahara nodded. "Of course. Yet, he needs to start somewhere. Unless, you want to send him to me-"

This time Isshin snorted. "Hell no. I'm trying to make him better, Kisuke."

Urahara held a hand over his heart, his mouth open in mock indignation. "Well, remind me never to offer my services again! Ungrateful bastard," Urahara muttered as he lifted his own glass to his lips, his eyes shining with amusement.

Isshin shook his head and chortled. "I hope he's really OK," he said on a sigh.

"Mmm," Urahara hummed.

XOXOXO

Five Years Later

Ichigo landed hard on his back after having his legs swept from under him. The air was forced from his lungs making him gasp and his eyes water. _Dammit!_ He rolled to the right to avoid the foot that was headed on a collision course for his chest, then slowly climbed to his feet as his opponent sneered mockingly at him.

_Bastard_.

"Oi! Don't tell me that's all you've got, Ichigo!"

"Don't make me laugh," Ichigo muttered. "I was just warming up!"

"HA! I"ll be the judge of that!"

His opponent rushed towards him at full tilt. _Idiot_. Ichigo smirked and stepped into the rush. At the last second, he dropped into a crouch, hit the man mid-thigh with his fore-arm and lifted him over his head, using the man's own momentum. The man landed on his back with a resounding thud.

"Nnngh," the man groaned as he turned onto his side.

Ichigo stepped up to him, careful not to get too close. "Ne, Renji, I thought you were gonna beat me this time?" he taunted.

The red haired man growled his annoyance and flipped Ichigo the bird, making Ichigo chuckle and hold his hand out to help him up. "Don't get cocky, bastard," Renji grumbled.

This had been Ichigo's routine for the last two years. He and Renji Abarai had a friendly rivalry ever since they both enrolled in Seireitei. Seireitei was a private academy that specialized in martial arts. Ichigo's father was once a student at said school and encouraged Ichigo to follow in his footsteps. Not that Ichigo minded. He loved fighting. It made his blood sing and took his mind off of other things, like his annoying classes, for instance.

Ichigo knew his old man still worried about him, but he was fine. He tried to tell the goat face all the time that there was nothing for him to worry about. Sure, he still missed his mother like crazy, but he wasn't a ticking bomb that needed to be handled with kid gloves. _Not anymore, at any rate_.

Ichigo had been eleven when his mother had died right in front of him. Luckily, he didn't remember much. He only remembered crossing the street, holding his mother's hand, a scream, a push, and then waking up in a hospital room with a broken arm. At first, it had been remarkably hard to move on. For a long time, Ichigo felt as if her death had been his fault. He thought that maybe if he could have pulled her out of the way, she would still be alive. He lived with the guilt until it started to tear him apart, eating away at him from the inside out.

The fights started soon after. Ichigo's father enrolled him in a public, middle school not too far from their home. There, the teasing began. In the beginning, Ichigo was fine with it. He ignored the taunts and jeers about his bright orange hair. He could deal with that. He could deal with the snarky remarks about his thin build, he could even deal with the whispering and pointing. What he could not deal with, was a specific remark that was made by a certain boy, whose eyes never seemed to open.

Gin Ichimaru.

Gin, who was two years older than Ichigo, never seemed to pay any mind to the affairs of the other children surrounding him. As a matter of fact, until that day, he had never acknowledged Ichigo's presence in the least bit. What changed, Ichigo later found, was the fact that Gin had been dared to "mess with the boy with the weird hair" by one of his cronies.

Ichigo had been seated at a corner table in the lunchroom, when he'd felt someone looming behind him. He had cautiously turned his head to the right and peeked from the corner of his eye at who was there. Gin and two other students waited patiently for Ichigo's reaction.

Ichigo analyzed the situation. He could stay seated and try to ignore them, but that would probably lead to a fight faster than just finding out what they wanted. Slowly, he stood and turned to face the three boys. Gin grinned widely, while the other two frowned and passed glances between themselves.

Ichigo cleared his throat. "Did you want something?" he asked.

Gin's eyes crinkled in the corners as his grin grew even wider. "Maaah, yer pretty brave, eh?" Gin asked.

The two flanking him, snickered, but Ichigo didn't say a word. He knew that it wouldn't be long before they stated their business anyway. Sure enough, Gin tilted his head to the side and studied Ichigo as if he were a specimen under a microscope.

"Didja get that stupid hair color from yer mom?" Gin asked softly.

Ichigo inhaled sharply and his eyes widened. _Did he just?_ _This asshole_. _This fucking prick_. _He dared mention Ichigo's mother? Who the hell did he think he was?_

"Don't talk about my mother," Ichigo said quietly. His normally soft, chocolate-brown eyes were as hard as diamonds and as cold as ice.

Gin chuckled and leaned forward. "Oh? And what er ya gonna do 'bout it?"

"…"

"He's a wuss, Gin. You did the dare, let's not even waste time on him," the flunky on the left said.

"Yeah," the flunky on the right agreed.

Gin grinned again. "Ya must get yer cowardice from yer mom too, hm? Momma's boy," Gin sneered and started to turn to walk away when Ichigo lunged at him.

Ichigo remembered waking up in the nurse's office, vowing to never let anyone talk down to him, or tease and torture him again. He may have lost the fight with Gin miserably, but the fact remained that he fought. Something Ichigo had never done before. From that day onward, Ichigo fought like a mother protecting her young anytime someone would dare tease or insult him. It continued that way until Ichigo's father threatened to send him to a reform school. That seemed to stop the constant fighting, but his old man still worried. That was when Seireitei was mentioned.

Ichigo readily agreed and upon his arrival had no trouble making friends. He met Renji first, who was intent on beating Ichigo at everything, simply because of who Ichigo's father was. Renji felt like Ichigo needed to be taken down a peg or two. Ichigo thought Renji was nuts, but welcomed the challenge.  
Through Renji, Ichigo met Rukia and Inoue. While Rukia attended Seireitei, Inoue attended a public high school. She and Rukia were best friends though, so they were always seen together after school.

  
Rukia Kuchiki was a petite, dark-haired female with an aggressive attitude; Orihime Inoue was an ample-breasted, red-haired female with an aloof, almost childish personality. Yet, the two girls managed to be best friends and stay that way.

Yasutora Sado (Ichigo just called him Chado; it was easier), Uryuu Ishida, and Shinji Hirako were his other friends. They became fairly close during high school, each one promising to attend the same college in order to stick together.

"Did you finish that essay yet, Ichigo?" Renji asked as he and Ichigo made their way towards the dorms.

"Yeah, it's due Wednesday, isn't it?"

"Shit! I forgot! I thought it was due next week. Ukitake-sensei is gonna kill me," Renji groaned dejectedly.

Ichigo shook his head. "Serves you right, dumbass. Maybe you should get your work done on time."

"Ha, this coming from the king of procrastinators. So, tell me, Ichigo, who helped you with the essay? Uryu or Rukia?"

Ichigo grinned smugly. "I didn't need help this time."

Renji's mouth hung open as Ichigo stepped past him to unlock their dorm room. Upon entering, they each dropped their belongings and glanced at the bathroom door. Once their eyes met, there was a mad dash that Renji won. He muscled his way past Ichigo and slammed the door. Ichigo cursed. "Don't take all day, asshole!" he yelled. Ichigo could hear Renji's laughter as the shower came on. "Bastard."

Ichigo collapsed face down on his bed and contemplated his future. There was the fact that his old man wanted him to pursue medicine, but Ichigo didn't want to follow that path blindly. He wanted to be sure it was something he wanted to do. He sighed and rolled over onto his back, resting his arms beneath his head.

Life was so much easier when he knew what he wanted.


	2. Fight Night

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Dad, I'm fine," Ichigo said in a bored tone. "I just moved out last week."

"My son is all grown up now! Masakiiiiii! Ichigo doesn't need us anymore!" his father wailed over the phone.

Ichigo began to tune out his old man's loud cries. Shaking his head, he plopped onto his brand new couch. A week ago, Ichigo had finally moved out of the home he had grown up in and into an apartment of his own. He loved his family, he really did, but he hands down refused to spend his college years under the same roof as his ridiculous father. _No, thank you_. _He didn't care if it meant working his fingers down to the very bone, he would_. _And gladly_.

He would miss his sisters, but that could be settled by weekly visits. It wasn't as if he had left the city since he'd decided to study at the local university, majoring in Radiology. Ichigo knew that in order for him to do well in that field, he needed to be serious about his studies. He snorted, wondering how the hell he would be able to concentrate with all of his noisy friends dropping by without any notice.

 _Fortunately, classes hadn't started yet_.

Ichigo looked around the living room in appreciation. It was a decent one-bedroom apartment. All of the floors were hardwood, except for the kitchen and bathroom, where the floors were tiled. Ichigo had just finished furnishing the place with the necessary items, thanks to his friends. Rukia and Inoue had insisted on throwing Ichigo a house-warming party. He was grateful, to say the least, although, he could honestly do without Inoue's "snacks". A shudder skittered up his spine as he remembered the dreaded "fish cakes."

"Ichigo?" Ichigo was jarred from his thoughts by his father's voice.

"Ah, yeah, Dad, sorry. What did you say?"

Isshin sighed over the line. "I asked you if you needed anything, Ichigo. Are you ok?"

"Dad, I'm fine," Ichigo growled. "I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow. Tell Karin and Yuzu I said hey."

"Of course, my son! Yuzuuuu! Kaaaariiiiiin! Ichi-"

Ichigo snapped his phone shut and tossed it beside him on the couch.

 _His old man was a lunatic_.

XOXOXO

"You called for me, sir?"

Calculating brown eyes gazed over steepled fingers at the person before him. Long, dark hair styled in an intricately braided pattern hung over the man's shoulders. He wore all black: from the black, long-sleeved, button-up shirt, black tie and black slacks, to the polished black shoes adorning his feet. He even wore a pair of dark shades to hide his eyes. All that black did nothing to hide the powerful build of the man, though.

 _Blind or not, the man was an excellent henchman_.

"I did. I have a job for you, Tousen."

"Anything, sir."

"I need a new recruit. Someone to replace Luppi. Can you do this?" The man's silky voice inquired.

"Of course, sir."

"Three days, Tousen."

Kaname Tousen nodded and took his leave. Although three days was awfully short to find a replacement recruit, Tousen knew better than to question or contradict his boss. _It would be suicidal_. He also knew that if he failed, the results would be the same, so he hurried off to begin his mission.

"Maah, that was kinda mean, boss, dontcha think so?"

"He'll do it."

"I believe you, Aizen, sir."

Sosuke Aizen glanced in the direction of the voice that had spoken as he reclined in the plush, leather office chair behind a large, mahogany desk. Gin Ichimaru had been working with Aizen since he was thirteen and still rough around the edges. He remembered when he'd first met the boy. Fast and slippery as an eel, Gin had almost made off with Aizen's wallet before he was grabbed and searched. Even under the pressure of Aizen's cool gaze, the boy hadn't cracked. Aizen had found it immensely amusing and definitely intriguing. A mere slip of a boy could withstand the pressure that most adult men would crumble beneath. _It had been unbelievable_.

"I know, Gin."

XOXOXO

"The fuck?" He cursed as his body connected with the thinly carpeted floor.

 _Shit_.

He'd fallen asleep on the couch. _Again_. Electric blue eyes scanned the coffee table before him, noting the abundance of beer bottles. He raked a hand through his bright blue hair and sighed. _So, he'd drunk himself into a stupor_.

 _Again_.

Just then, a thunderous banging erupted from his front door.

Scowling, he slowly stood to his feet and shuffled to the door. He realized, a moment before opening it, that all he wore was a pair of gray boxer briefs that was currently losing the battle against restraining his morning wood. He turned, searching the room for a pair of pants, before giving up and going to his bedroom.

"OI! Ya dead in there er some shit?"

Grimmjow Jaegerjaques growled under his breath. _What the fuck did this guy think he was doing at –_ he craned his neck to glance at the clock on his night stand – _8:30 in the fucking morning?_ Grimmjow didn't even know the idiot was capable of rising before one in the afternoon. This had better be good or so help him, he'd kick that skinny prick's ass.

Grimmjow shoved his legs into a pair of black lounge pants and stormed towards the front door. He threw it open and glared at the man standing across from him. _If looks could kill, the man would've been six feet under_.

"Holy fuck, ya look like shit!" Nnoitra exclaimed, giving his signature, sly grin.

Grimmjow scoffed. "Must be contagious, then. The fuck you doing here banging on my door at the ass-crack of dawn?"

"Heh, Stark called. He told me to come drag yer sorry carcass outta bed. Ya got an appointment tanight, and Shorty needs ya down at the office," Nnoitra said, pushing his way past Grimmjow.

Nnoitra stood in the living room assessing the surroundings for a minute before glancing over his shoulder at Grimmjow, who was just closing the door.

"What?" Grimmjow asked defensively.

Nnoitra grinned. "Ya know, this shit would be acceptable if ya at least got laid. Not that I'd recommend bringin' someone in here, but it's the least ya could do."

"Fuck you, you're one to talk," Grimmjow growled and started cleaning the mess from the previous night as Nnoitra cackled.

Grimmjow gathered the empty beer bottles and watched as Nnoitra plopped onto the couch. The man had to be roughly 6'6" because Grimmjow was 6'3". Nnoitra wore a short-sleeved, black t-shirt, slim fitting, black jeans that hung low on his narrow hips and were joined by a black, cloth belt, and black, high-top Supra sneakers. His shoulder-length, black hair hung in his face on the left side, although he was wearing a black bandana.

 _He could be rather testy about that left eye of his_.

Grimmjow trudged into the small kitchen and discarded the beer bottles. _Fuck_. _He had an appointment tonight_. He hated the way Aizen waited until the last minute to tell them about their appointments, but always expected them to excel. Really, Grimmjow shouldn't complain. He was being promoted soon, since his last appointment went so well.

Grimmjow grinned wolfishly. He could still remember it quite clearly, even though it had been over a week ago. The adrenaline rush, the smell of sweat and best of all, blood. It was enough to get him going again.

"YO! Ya got anythin' to eat in this crap-hole?" Nnoitra yelled from his spot on the couch.

Grimmjow almost, _almost_ rolled his eyes in exasperation, but didn't.

 _Yeah, he didn't do eye-rolling_.

XOXOXO

Ichigo wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He was panting, his heart was racing, trying to force its way through his ribs, and he was currently holed up in the bathroom, staring at his panic-stricken reflection. He turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face, then buried it in a thick, gray hand towel.

 _What the fuck_.

 _It had been two years since he last felt this way_.

 _Shit, shit, shit_.

The urge had never been as strong as this, and it was making Ichigo freak out. He looked down at his trembling hands and whined softly. Maybe if he just went to sleep, it would calm him down. The more he thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him.

Ichigo stepped out of the bathroom and slowly moved into the living room, where his friends were seated on the couch and love seat. His eyes slid to the TV and immediately turned away from the sight of two men fiercely boxing. Ichigo cleared his throat to gain their attention, making all eyes swivel in his direction.

"Guys, I'm gonna call it a night. I'm not feeling very well," he said, not meeting any of their gazes.

"Is everything OK, Ichigo?" Inoue asked, her voice practically oozing concern.

Rukia's brow was furrowed as she chimed in. "Yeah, you do look a little pale," she stated.

Renji narrowed his eyes at Ichigo and scowled slightly. Did he know Ichigo was lying to them? Chad, Uryuu and Shinji also watched him intensely, causing Ichigo to shift nervously and rub the back of his neck.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's nothing too serious. I just need some rest, that's all," he said, laughing uncomfortably.

Shinji sighed dramatically, breaking the incredibly thick tension that seemed to overwhelm the small group. Inoue giggled as they all began to gather their belongings.

"You're really OK, right?" Renji asked, making Ichigo jump and Renji frown.

"Yeah, I just need some rest, but I can't do that with you here giving me the third degree, now can I?" Ichigo teased.

 _Maybe if he returned to his normal behavior, Renji would back off_.

"Whatever, bastard," Renji grumbled, but he was smiling when he said it.

Rukia approached Ichigo and smiled. Ichigo never felt nervous around her, even though Uryuu had found it entertaining to tell Ichigo that Rukia had a crush on him, and had for a while. Ichigo knew he didn't feel _that_ way about her, but he did value her as a good friend.

"If you need anything, Ichigo, feel free to call me," she said.

Ichigo nodded. "OK, but I'm fine, really," he insisted.

Rukia rolled her eyes and grinned. "Riiiiight. Ichigo, you could be on your death bed and still say the same thing."

"She has a point," Shinji agreed. Ichigo smiled.

 _They were right_.

"Maybe, but I'm fine. Now, get outta my house before I kick you all out by force," he chided.

"How rude, Ichigo," Uryuu said, disdain coloring his tone.

Ichigo just continued smiling and watched as his friends trooped out, one after the other. Once they were gone, Ichigo went about cleaning and shutting things off, especially the TV. He had a feeling that that was where his problem had stemmed from.

They'd been watching boxing when, all of a sudden, Ichigo had become incredibly hot, like his very skin and blood had been on fire. His palms had started sweating and an itch had started deep in his muscles, making him extremely restless. Ichigo had almost vaulted out of his seat in his rush to make it to the bathroom. Once the door had been closed and locked, he'd pressed his back against it, shaking uncontrollably.

 _He had wanted to fight_.

 _No_.

 _He had NEEDED to fight_.

Ichigo never usually had urges that strong, even when they used to occur every now and then at Seireitei. _Fuck_. This was no different, he was just overly stimulated since the last time he'd felt this urge had been two years ago.

 _OK, deep breaths_. _In through the nose, out through the mouth_. _He could do this_. _This was a piece of cake compared to his middle school days_.

Ichigo showered and dressed in a fresh pair of pajama pants decorated with smiley faces, before slipping into bed with a loud sigh. He hadn't realized how tired he was.

XOXOXO

Blood crept down the right side of his face from the cut above his eyebrow. He didn't mind. It was strangely comforting.

Made him feel alive.

Like he had a purpose.

His opponent lay on the ground before him, unable to move, due to his broken left knee. Grimmjow's mouth spread into his trademark Cheshire cat grin, showing off abnormally sharp canines. His taped and bandaged fists and heels were covered in blood that wasn't his own. Even his loose, black, drawstring pants hadn't survived the ordeal unscathed.

Grimmjow looked around and observed the crowd. The arena they were gathered in was teeming with overzealous men and women, thirsty for blood, their cheers deafening. The fighting area consisted of a cement floor in a circular shape, surrounded by a thick, metal railing – the only thing keeping the crowd away from the fighters. He turned back to his opponent, who, at the moment, was using the railing to try to climb onto his right leg.

Grimmjow's grin spread to epic proportions, showing off a mouthful of pearly white teeth. He swept the man off his foot and laughed sharply when the man – Kenji – hit his head and promptly passed out.

_What the fuck was Ulquiorra thinking matching him up with this nobody?_

Grimmjow glanced up above the crowd at the raised platform, where Ulquiorra stood watching with his wide, emotionless green eyes. His inky-black, shoulder-length hair made his pale skin seem like it was glowing. The black suit, emerald-green dress shirt and black tie didn't really help matters at all. Ulquiorra gave Grimmjow the creeps.

 _He hated that little fucker, almost as much as he hated Aizen_.

Ulquiorra nodded, and swiftly disappeared through a set of large double doors. That meant Grimmjow's job or "appointment" was officially over, also meaning he could go home and sleep. Grimmjow stepped over Kenji's immobile body and made his way up the stairs that led to the raised platform and double doors that Ulquiorra had just frequented. He slowed his steps, looked over his shoulder and watched as Kenji's supporters carried him from the arena.

 _He, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, was still the Sexta Espada_.

XOXOXO

"I'm free! The idiot finally wore himself out trying to keep me inside. Che."

He left the bedroom and stepped into the bathroom. Flicking on the light, he grinned maniacally as he touched the reflection in the mirror.

 _It was his turn now_.

Slipping into a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of sneakers left by the front door, he left the house and started down the street.

_Hmm, what to do, what to do?_

He hated being bottled up inside of Ichigo. Ever since the brat left Seireitei, he'd had no outlet for his deep-seated anger, just kept locked away tightly with nothing to do. _Now things were different_. Somehow, his influence had finally managed to take control of Ichigo's body. _Like hell he was gonna let this go to waste_.

"Ha ha, look at this fruit cup with the smiley face pants. Hey princess, where ya headed?" a voice called out from behind him, making his face light up.

_Trouble? A fight? Yesss!_

"Don' know what yer talkin' 'bout, but if it's a fight ya want, I'm all for it," he said, grin splitting his face.

The men exchanged glances and scowled. _Well, what the hell had they been expecting?_ "That's some dangerous talk, pretty boy," one of the men stated.

"Ain't jus' talk. Come an' see fer yerself."

The two men were burly and obviously thought themselves hot shit. _Ha! Tough rocks tonight, then_. He'd been virtually itching for a fight, and here these two idiots were serving themselves up on a silver platter. _Perfect_.

One of the idiots rushed him, flicking out a switchblade as he neared. He smirked.

 _Absolutely fucking perfect_.

The two muscle heads were laid flat on their backs as he stepped over them and cursed. Ichigo was definitely going to notice the cuts on his knuckles and arms from that stupid switchblade.

 _Shit_.

 _Oh, well_.

 _Had fun anyway_.

He made his way back to the apartment, never even noticing the two men across the street watching him.


	3. Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot how silly my old shit was LoL. Here's to some nostalgia, huh?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**The Night Before**

**11:30 pm**

"What did he look like?" Tousen asked.

Szayel Aporro Grantz shifted in the uncomfortable cafe seat before taking a tentative sip of the hot chocolate he'd ordered. _He always did have a strange weakness for the sweet drink_. Szayel adjusted his glasses and glanced at the man seated beside him.

Ilforte Grantz, sat regally in the hideous seat and shrugged, his long, blond hair sliding across his shoulders. "He had orange hair," he stated blandly.

Szayel sighed. "Approximately 5'11", bright orange hair, brown eyes, lithe build. His fighting style was raw and rather wild, but he was quite strong. He has potential," Szayel stated firmly.

Ilforte chuckled disbelievingly. "Potential, you say? The kid was like an animal: he's perfect."

Szayel shrugged and sipped his hot chocolate, knowing that Ilforte was absolutely right. The boy had been similar to a starved lion finally presented with prey: frightening, yet beautiful to observe. Szayel's lips quirked into a small smirk. _That boy would make excellent research material_.

Ilforte stood, adjusted his purple, short-sleeved, v-neck shirt and black slacks, and slid his arms into a black blazer. As he untucked his hair from the collar of the blazer, he smiled down at Szayel. "Well, it seems like my job here is done. I've got other business that requires my attention, like sleeping," he dead-panned.

Szayel smirked. "Yes, how very urgent."

Ilforte's smile widened as his dark eyes gleamed. "You're always so serious, little brother. That's what happens when you don't get laid," he said saucily and sauntered away.

Szayel's eyes followed Ilforte's retreating form until he disappeared through the exit. _His brother was so carefree_. _Sometimes he wondered if there was anything the man truly cared about_.

"Can you bring him to me tomorrow, Szayel?" Tousen asked, bringing Szayel back to the here and now.

Szayel scoffed haughtily. "Do you doubt my skills, Tousen?"

Tousen grinned. "Of course not, but the sooner the better. Aizen is not willing to wait on this matter," he replied.

Szayel nodded as he finished off his hot chocolate. Then, he remembered that Tousen couldn't see him, so he cleared his throat and replied "understood" as he pulled out his wallet. Tousen reached across the table and covered Szayel's hand with his own, making Szayel's eyes widen.

"I'll take care of this. You just bring the boy to me tomorrow night. I'll be at Hueco Mundo. I believe Starrk has an appointment, so that should serve as good incentive for him, if he's as wild as you say," Tousen explained as he rose from the table.

"Fine."

Szayel had been floored.

_How in the world had Tousen known what he had been doing? Incredible_.

Szayel watched as Tousen pulled his own wallet from the back pocket of his pants, dropped a few bills onto the table, and proceeded towards the exit.

_Absolutely incredible_.

Maybe he could persuade Tousen to be a research subject. He snorted.

_Yeah, right_.

Szayel gathered his long, tan trench coat and made for the exit himself.

_He had a job to do_.

XOXOXO

Morning After

7:30 am

Ichigo's alarm blared, jarring him from the most peaceful slumber he'd ever had. After shutting the noisy contraption off, Ichigo slowly sat up, and immediately regretted doing so, his whole body aching intensely as though he'd just run a marathon.

_What the hell?_

_Maybe he'd really been more tired than he realized_.

Ichigo cautiously shoved his blankets aside and stood, only to have his legs nearly buckle. His legs felt like rubber and his back was stiff as a board. Not to mention, his arms felt like he'd been lifting weights for hours.

_What the fuck was going on here? Why was his whole body so sore?_

Ichigo trudged to the bathroom and flipped the light on. He went to empty his bladder, but the moment he moved to pull himself free from his boxers, his eyes widened comically as he noticed bandages on his knuckles and forearms. _WHAT THE FUCK?_ Ichigo held his hands up in front of his face, not believing what he was seeing.

_Why the?_

_When did?_

_Shit!_

_What the hell was happening?_

Ichigo took a deep breath and backed into the sink. Maybe he'd been so tired, he hadn't noticed waking up and hurting himself. Or bandaging the wounds. _Right_. He knew that sounded as plausible as pigs flying, so, what the fuck could have happened, then? Ichigo turned to face the mirror and stared at his reflection.

_Was he finally losing his mind like his old man always feared?_

_He certainly hoped not_.

Raking a hand over his face and through his bright orange hair, Ichigo sighed dejectedly and stepped out of his pajama pants and boxers. _There had to be a reasonable explanation_. _There had to be_. _There was no way in hell he was going crazy or some shit like that_. Ichigo turned the shower on and climbed under the hot spray of water.

_No way_.

XOXOXO

He hated this place almost as much as he hated the man seated across from him behind a huge mahogany desk. This stupid office in a high rise building that hid Hueco Mundo in its depths, the stiff security one needed to pass in order to even get to this floor, never mind the office itself, the sheer, overwhelming wealth and power the man held: he hated it all. But none more-so than the man himself.

_Sosuke Aizen_.

Grimmjow stood with his hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his blue jeans as he stared at Aizen. The man hadn't moved or spoken since Grimmjow had arrived. It was pissing him the fuck off, but he couldn't do shit about it, and that pissed him off even more. He shifted his feet restlessly, fighting the urge to growl.

_The fuck was the asshole waiting for?_

As if answering his silent question, the office door swung open behind him and Ulquiorra stepped inside, carrying a manila folder. _Hn, this was interesting_. The raven-haired man shut the door and stepped up to Aizen, handing him the folder. Grimmjow watched as Aizen swiftly perused the folder's contents, then after a minute, Aizen's brows rose as he looked up to meet Ulquiorra's gaze. Ulquiorra nodded and Aizen's lips quirked as he refocused his penetrating stare on Grimmjow.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra, that will be all," Aizen spoke smoothly.

Ulquiorra nodded deeply. "Yes, sir."

The stoic, green-eyed man quickly left the office, shutting the door softly behind him, while Grimmjow's eyes never left Aizen's. _This guy made everything so fucking mysterious and dramatic_. He just wished the guy would get on with it because Grimmjow was slowly drifting past the bored phase.

Finally, Aizen raised a brow in amusement and smiled. "When Neliel brought you to me, I must say, I did not think you had this much potential. I was satisfied using you as merely a retainer. As we can see, I lost an employee because of my underestimation of you. You defeated Zommari quite easily and assumed his rank as Septima Espada rather naturally, which is why I gave you the position of Sexta Espada and demoted Luppi to Septima Espada. Luppi no longer deserved to be Sexta. It pleases me to see that you've maintained this position. So much, in fact, that I'm now willing to accept you officially as the permanent Sexta Espada. You will receive payment accordingly. Do you have any questions, Grimmjow?"

That was the most Grimmjow had ever heard the man speak all at once. He was still stewing over the "retainer" comment, but his mood quickly brightened when he heard the words he'd been waiting for ever since he beat that big dude.

_You will receive payment accordingly_.

_Damn straight! Now he could move outta that crap apartment and buy a car_.

_Finally_.

Grimmjow grinned widely as he mentally started making plans for his new income. He still hated Aizen with a white-hot passion, but he would focus on that later. "No, I don't have any questions," he stated distractedly. The silence that followed pulled his attention back to the man before him, who was currently raising a brow. Grimmjow ground his teeth together in agitation. "No, I don't have any questions, Aizen, sir."

Aizen nodded and waved his hand in a vague gesture of dismissal. There was a soft snicker in the corner of the room that made Grimmjow turn and scowl at Gin Ichimaru. _He didn't like that fucker either_. Gin was creepy, what with his constant smile and his never-open eyes, and on top of that, the guy was sneaky. Besides, Grimmjow wouldn't be surprised if he found out that Gin was fucking Aizen.

_It would make a lot of sense, actually_.

Grimmjow curled his lip at Gin and left the office. As he shut the door behind himself, he ran into Starrk.

"Oh, Grimmjow, are you going home?" the lazy brunet drawled.

"Yeah, why?"

"I need to stop by before my appointment tonight. You need your rank tattoo."

Grimmjow's eyes widened before he nodded his consent and watched Starrk disappear into Aizen's office. _He had completely forgotten about that_.

XOXOXO

"It was just a small scuffle. I went to the store to get some pain killers after you guys left, and a couple guys tried to start trouble. No big deal," Ichigo lied.

He certainly wasn't going to tell his friends that he didn't have the slightest idea how he had gotten the cuts on his knuckles and forearms. Or about finding his favorite hoodie on the coat hooks next to the front door, shredded and bloodied. It would be better to keep that to himself until he could find out what exactly had happened.

"Jeez, Ichigo, you must be really outta shape if they managed to touch you at all. They wouldn't have been able to touch me," Renji boasted from his spot on the love seat.

"Shut up, bastard! They caught me by surprise!" Ichigo argued.

"Riiiiiiight. Renji, they probably would have left you unconscious. You still haven't beaten Ichigo once since we met at Seireitei," Shinji laughed while Chado nodded somberly.

Renji pouted. "I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

Everyone laughed at that. They all knew that Renji was a sore loser and hated the fact that he had never completed his goal of besting Ichigo.

Ichigo glanced at the clock on the wall and yawned loudly. His body was exhausted and all he wanted to do was sleep. Shinji took the hint and gathered his lime-green hoodie from beside him. Ichigo could never understand the man's affinity for bright colors.

Shinji was wearing a sky-blue t-shirt, light-blue skinny jeans with a lime-green belt and his high-top sneakers were a mixture of both colors. Add to the ensemble his bright blond hair, and Shinji looked like a bag of tropical flavored skittles. Ichigo chuckled at the thought.

"That's Ichigo's way of saying 'OK, get out'," Shinji stated as he pulled on the hoodie.

Ichigo grinned sheepishly. At least he wasn't lying about being tired; his body really did feel drained. He didn't know why, either. Sure, his body was sore, but he'd been worse off before, and his body had never demanded sleep the way it demanded it now.

Renji's phone chirped, and Ichigo noticed how Renji seemed to blush as he checked the screen. _Mm, now that was interesting_. Ichigo sidled up behind Renji and peeked around the man's shoulder, his eyes widening when he saw the recipient of the reply text message Renji was in the middle of typing.

_Byakuya? As in Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia's brother? Holy shit!_

Ichigo backed away cautiously as not to alert Renji to his peeking. Once he felt he was at a safe distance and opened his mouth to speak, he noticed Shinji and Chado watching him curiously. Shinji's right eyebrow was raised and Chado had his head tilted to the side. Ichigo just stared back because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know if Renji wanted anyone to know about what he'd seen just yet. _If he did, wouldn't he have said something already?_

Shinji shrugged and opened the front door before turning back to call out to Renji.

"Yo, Cherry-red, you coming?"

Ichigo knew he wasn't the only one to notice how Renji jumped like a cat with its tail on fire. Renji stuffed his phone into the pocket of his khaki cargo pants and grabbed his gray, hooded jacket. "Yeah, I'm coming," he mumbled.

Ichigo plopped onto the couch once everyone had gone. _What was up with Renji texting Byakuya?_ Ichigo vaguely remembered meeting Byakuya while they were still at Seireitei, when Rukia had introduced him as her step-brother and the man had barely spoken. Which was why Ichigo didn't even know Renji and Byakuya were on speaking terms, let alone anything romantic; and it had to be romantic because Renji had almost turned as red as his hair. The only time Ichigo could remember Renji blushing like that, was when a girl from Seireitei had asked him out. Other than that, Ichigo was hard-pressed to recall additional events. Not to mention, the six-year age gap between the two. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the fact that Byakuya was colder than a lake in winter. Ichigo shook his head.

_It was truly baffling_.

Unfortunately, that was the least of his worries. Ichigo still needed to figure out why he couldn't remember how he'd gotten those cuts on his knuckles and forearms, but for now, he was showering and going to bed.

XOXOXO

"So, where do you want me to put this?" Starrk inquired, wearing an utterly bored expression.

"Fuck if I know," Grimmjow shrugged.

"How 'bout ya get it on yer ass?" Nnoitra grinned.

"How 'bout I put my foot in yours?"

"Ooo, ooo, I know, I know! Right here!" Nel exclaimed as she sprang from the couch.

Grimmjow watched warily as Nel crossed the room and lifted his t-shirt, then placed her small hand on the right side of his lower back.

Grimmjow frowned in confusion. "Why there?" he grunted.

Nel smirked devilishly. "Well, I think it would look pretty hot there," she stated as if daring him to argue.

Grimmjow scowled as his face slightly pinkened. "I don't give a shit about that," he grumbled.

Nel's following high-pitched giggle only caused Grimmjow's scowl to deepen.

"Then it's settled," Halibel added impatiently. "I have other, more important, things to do, Starrk."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've got an appointment anyway," Starrk replied.

When Grimmjow had first been introduced to the Espada ranks, he'd sorely underestimated Starrk. The lazy bastard turned into an entirely different person when he fought, and it was fucking scary.

"Take off the shirt and lay on your stomach," Starrk ordered after setting up what looked like a cushioned, fold-out table and a stool.

Grimmjow maneuvered his plain white t-shirt over his head and lowered himself onto the table. He tried to keep his tremors to a minimum because he really didn't want anyone to know that he wasn't very keen on needles, especially that idiot Nnoitra.

He would never let Grimmjow live it down.

As Starrk prepared his tools, Grimmjow used that time to survey the people scattered about his living room. Ever since the formation of the Espada team, it was mandatory that all team members bear witness to the tattooing of a new recruit. Something to do with loyalty, or some shit. Grimmjow didn't know. He'd never actually witnessed someone else being tattooed, since the current members were already there by the time he was recruited.

Grimmjow had seen them all fight at one time or another, though and he had a basic grasp of their personalities. Grimmjow's gaze landed on Starrk as the man rolled a stick of clear Speed Stick deodorant over the designated spot on his back before pressing a piece of paper with a gothic-stylized six printed on it, to the same spot. Starrk held it there for a few seconds, then peeled it off and retrieved the tattoo machine, starting it up.

"I'm starting," he rumbled, before pressing the machine to his back.

Grimmjow ground his teeth together.

_Shit!_

_He fucking hated needles_.

To take his mind off the fact that there was a needle currently digging into his skin, Grimmjow observed his teammates, starting with the huge man that was smiling at him from the love seat.

Yammy Riyalgo, the Decimo Espada, was damned near seven feet tall and pure, hulking muscle. He was brown-skinned with hazel eyes and his black hair was braided into four, large cornrows. He also sported a thick goatee and wore his tattoo of the number ten on his left shoulder. Grimmjow didn't think the guy was too bright, but he was strong as hell. Grimmjow had seen Yammy fight once and if Grimmjow'd had a shred of decency in him, he probably would've felt bad for Yammy's opponent. Yammy's fighting style had no particular technique, it was just brute strength.

Grimmjow had heard from Nnoitra, that Yammy had been recruited by Ulquiorra, but Grimmjow thought that was strange. Yammy wasn't too particular about Aizen since all he really cared about was fighting, whereas Ulquiorra damn near licked Aizen's shoes whenever the man was around. Grimmjow chuckled at the thought.

Next, Grimmjow glanced at the peculiar man standing near the window with his arms folded across his chest. Aaroniero Arruruerie (good luck pronouncing that; Grimmjow still couldn't do it, to this day) was the Noveno Espada. The man had bright red hair, worn in a single braid that reached his waist, and odd wine-colored eyes. He was around six feet tall with a medium build and wore his tattoo of the number nine on his left cheek.

Grimmjow thought Aaroniero was strange, not only because of his looks, but because the man rarely spoke. When Grimmjow had seen the guy fight, he hadn't been surprised to see that he imitated his opponent's fighting style and turned it against them. Grimmjow thought it was creepy though because Aaroniero would only observe his opponent for a minute, two the most, before knowing his opponent's exact fighting style and technique.

Neliel had been the one to tell Grimmjow that Aaroniero had been recruited by Zommari Leroux, the man Grimmjow had defeated for his rank. Aaroniero and Zommari had been friends since they were younger, which Grimmjow found damned near impossible because of Aaroniero's lack of speech.

Then, there was Szayel Aporro Grantz, the Octavo Espada, who was also the medic/scientist of the group and had been recruited by Kaname Tousen. Szayel had pink fucking hair, for Pete's sake. Grimmjow knew he had no room to talk with his blue tresses, but at least his was blue and not a pansy ass color like pink.

Szayel also wore a pair of silver, rectangular framed glasses that sometimes hid his honey-colored eyes. He was around six feet and elegantly slim. Grimmjow didn't particularly care for the guy because Szayel had an arrogantly superior attitude. Grimmjow knew that he himself was an arrogant ass as well, but Szayel took arrogance to an entirely new level.

Szayel also had a habit of referring to people as research material. _Fucking weirdo_. Although, Szayel did keep company with a relatively sane guy, who was also Szayel's brother: Ilforte Grantz. Grimmjow felt bad for the guy having a brother like Szayel and often wondered what that relationship was like.

Grimmjow remembered seeing Szayel fight once and failed to repress a shudder at the recollection. Szayel used his intelligence to analyze his opponent and determine his/her weaknesses. Once he did, Szayel would use his knowledge of the human anatomy to cause maximum amounts of damage with deadly precision. The bad thing was, Szayel would wear an insane grin with an equally insane gleam in his eyes as he picked his opponent apart. Another thing about Szayel was that Grimmjow had never seen his tattoo. Grimmjow wasn't about to inquire about it either.

_That would make it seem like he gave a shit, when he so obviously didn't_.

_Speaking of that fucker, where the hell was he?_

Grimmjow scanned the room and sure enough, the pink-haired Espada was missing. He wasn't the only one missing, though. That prick, Luppi, wasn't there, either. Grimmjow looked over his shoulder at Starrk.

"Starrk, where's Pinky and the little prick? I thought everyone had to come to these things," Grimmjow asked, through clenched teeth.

Starrk had finished with the outline of the six and had just begun filling it in. Starrk paused momentarily but started again as he began to explain in a low, bored tone. "Luppi has been disposed of because of his disloyalty to Aizen. Turns out, Luppi still held a grudge against Aizen from being demoted to Septima Espada and had plans to have Aizen killed. Gin found out somehow and...well, Luppi is no longer with us, which is where Szayel's absence comes in. He's currently assisting Tousen in finding a recruit to replace Luppi." Starrk licked his lips and sighed as if he had just exerted too much effort in his explanation.

Grimmjow, on the other hand, felt like he'd been sideswiped. He knew Luppi had been demoted, but he didn't think the little prick would be dumb enough to try to go against Aizen. _Not only that, but that was how Aizen dealt with disloyalty?_ _Death?_ He didn't need Starrk to explain what he meant by 'disposed of'; he wasn't an idiot.

"Che, Luppi was beggin' for it if ya ask me," Nnoitra drawled as he sat back on the couch and stretched his legs under the coffee table.

"Yeah, well, nobody asked you!" Grimmjow snapped.

_God fucking damn it! Would Starrk hurry the hell up already? Shit stung_.

Nnoitra smirked and put his arms behind his head. Speaking of Nnoitra Jiruga, he was the Quinto Espada. Lanky fuck was the closest thing to a friend Grimmjow had, and that was only because their personalities were so similar. Jiruga was crude and blood-thirsty; so was Grimmjow. Jiruga didn't give a shit; neither did Grimmjow. They both shared an unhealthy lust for fighting, terrible tempers and neither had any plans to change.

Grimmjow also knew that Nnoitra was an openly perverted bastard. When Jiruga took an interest in someone, he let it be known, regardless of the means. He also wore his rank tattoo on his pierced tongue. Grimmjow had called him a gross fucker when Nnoitra had showed off the tattoo, and the man had only grinned lewdly.

At one of Nnoitra's fights, Grimmjow noticed how fast and slippery the man was. Nnoitra also used his height as an advantage, usually getting a kick out of holding his opponent back by the face with his long arms, in true cartoon fashion.

He remembered Nnoitra telling him the story of his recruitment a while back. Nnoitra claimed he had been on his way home, when a group of guys surrounded him, saying that he owed them money. 'I probably did, but that don't mean I'm gonna sit there and get mah ass kicked,' Grimmjow recalled Nnoitra telling him. Nnoitra went on to say that by the end of the fight, he had lost his left eye. Starrk had been on the other side of the street on his way home with his little sister Lilynette, when he'd noticed the fight. Once it had ended, Stark had introduced himself to Nnoitra and taken him to see Aizen that same evening. Szayel had been at the office and had offered to repair Nnoitra's eye. 'And the rest is history,' Nnoitra exclaimed at the end of the shook his head as he remembered Nnoitra's excitement while reliving the fight.

_They were eerily alike_.

Grimmjow's eyes landed on Ulquiorra, who was currently holding up the wall near the front door, with his hands deep in the pockets of his black suit pants. Ulquiorra's emerald green eyes were closed, his head resting against the wall. Grimmjow wasn't fooled by the man's relaxed look because he knew that Ulquiorra was immensely alert.

_Probably taking notes in his head for Aizen_.

As well as being the "event coordinator" and "office manager" for the Espada, Ulquiorra was the Cuarto Espada. Or as Nnoitra liked to call him, "Shorty". Ulquiorra could only be described as petite for a man, standing at around 5'7" and probably weighing no more than 130 pounds. He always wore suits, unless he was fighting, his expression rarely, if ever, changed, and he was fiercely loyal to Aizen.

Watching Ulquiorra fight was disturbing because every move he made was calculated, causing his opponents to fall helplessly into his carefully constructed traps. Needless to say, Ulquiorra was a strategic fighter. During one of Ulquiorra's fights was the only time one could catch a glimpse of the four tattooed on his chest.

_Not that he gave a fuck_.

_He was just saying_.

Nel had also been the one to fill Grimmjow in on Ulquiorra's recruitment. Aizen had recruited Ulquiorra at the age of ten to be his errand boy. The fourth Espada had been found by Aizen, walking the streets, freshly escaped from an orphanage, and taken under the man's wing. Ulquiorra had proven himself to be loyal and once he'd turned eighteen, Aizen had given him the Cuarto Espada rank.

_No wonder Ulquiorra was so fucked up_ , Grimmjow mused. _He spent half his life alone, and the other half with a power-hungry sociopath_. Grimmjow laughed heartily inside. _What? He thought he made it clear that he didn't like that creepy fucker_.

Halibel was hands down, the scariest woman he'd ever met in his entire life. She was brown-skinned like Yammy, but had bright blonde hair and clear, green eyes. Halibel wore her hair short, except for two long ponytails in the back, and one in front. She was about 5'9" and curvy as hell. Not that Grimmjow would mention that out loud. Yammy had made the mistake of commenting on Halibel's "humongous rack" and paid for it with a broken nose.

Halibel was the Tercero Espada, and well-deserving of that position. Grimmjow noticed during one of her fights, that Halibel's tattoo was on the inside of her right breast. Considering how quiet and serious she was, Grimmjow hadn't expected her tattoo to be in a spot like that; he'd expected that kind of thing from Nel, but definitely not Halibel.

Halibel had been recruited by Tousen as a replacement for Nel when Nel had retired. Halibel protected her rank fiercely because she had three younger siblings to care for. Grimmjow remembered Nel calling them Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sun-Sun.

Speaking of Nel, Grimmjow could recall the day that he'd met Neliel Tu Odershvank and had his life turned upside down. Nel, the former Tercero Espada, was capable of disarming one with her large, wheat-gray eyes, long, sea-foam green hair, and curvy shape. No one would expect her to be such a strong fighter.

Although Nel was strong, she didn't like fighting, so, when Grimmjow had come across her being jumped by a gang of men, all he'd seen was what he'd thought was a helpless woman being taken advantage of. Now, don't get him wrong, he hadn't been trying to be some sort of hero or some shit, but he'd been bored out of his fucking mind and itching for a fight.

_Lo and behold_...

So, Grimmjow had gone to Nel's aid, only to see her completely demolish one of the men for knocking over the artwork she'd been carrying. Grimmjow finished the men off, with one of them – a dark-haired, stocky fellow – vowing to get revenge. Nel had thanked him at the time, but proceeded to entice him with promises of being paid to fight.

_How could he say no?_

Grimmjow remembered Nel telling him that she had been a former fighter, and showing him the three that she still wore on her back as a sign of her loyalty to Aizen. Aizen had only allowed Nel to retire because she made more money for him as his advertising rep. When Nel had taken Grimmjow to meet Aizen, she'd conveniently failed to mention what a prick the guy was. Aizen oozed charm and consideration, but in reality, the man couldn't care less about anyone other than himself. But, that had been how Grimmjow had become affiliated with Aizen.

The Segundo Espada, Barragan Luisenbarn, had been the self-proclaimed "King of the Underworld." Barragan was forty-five years old, but moved like he was only in his late twenties, early thirties. He had shoulder-length, silver hair, dark eyes, and a tattoo of a black, five-point crown under his left eye. He had a medium build and stood around six feet.

Grimmjow didn't personally know much about him, except that he was always followed by six people – Grimmjow didn't know their names – he was nicknamed the "Grim Reaper", and when Gin had tried to recruit him, Barragan had flat-out refused. It had taken Aizen's promise of more money and power to convince the man to join. Grimmjow had no idea where Barragan's tattoo was and he didn't want to know either.

Last but not least, there was Starrk Coyote, Primero Espada. As Grimmjow stated before, when he'd first met Starrk, he'd completely underestimated him, because the fucker had seemed so damned lazy. Starrk was around 6'2", had a muscular build, shoulder-length, wavy, brown hair and gray eyes, a tattooed number one adorning the back of his left hand. He always spoke like he was so tired and bored, and when he wasn't fighting, he was arguing with his little sister, Lilynette Gingerback.

Grimmjow had only seen Lilynette a couple of times, but he remembered the little blonde firecracker. She had these strange fuschia-colored eyes that seemed to glow when she and Starrk argued. Even arguing, Starrk was a lazy bastard, but get him into Hueco Mundo and his entire demeanor changed drastically.

Starrk would become as serious as the plague, using his intense speed and acute vision to take his opponents apart, his fights usually ending quickly because of it. After witnessing Starrk fight, Grimmjow knew he'd made a serious mistake in thinking the man didn't deserve to be Primero Espada.

"Done," Starrk murmured and began to clean his tools and pack away his supplies.

Grimmjow hadn't even noticed that Starrk had completed the tattoo, wiped away the excess ink, and applied some type of ointment to the fresh six, his thoughts being elsewhere.

"Good. That shit was fucking annoying," Grimmjow grumbled crankily.

"Well, bastard, yer an official Espada now," Nnoitra said, rising from the couch.

"Yeah, I am."

XOXOXO

_He was better prepared this time_.

He'd remembered to put on a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black hoodie, dressing more appropriately for his night out. He wore a black pair of Ichigo's sneakers to finish the outfit.

_Now, he was ready to cruise the city_.

He grabbed the apartment keys from the silver dish Ichigo kept by the front door, and slipped into the night. He glanced down at his watch. _11:15 pm, huh?_ _Still fairly early_ , he supposed. Ichigo's classes would start tomorrow, so he had to get back at a reasonable time. _Couldn't have his King falling asleep on his first day of classes_.

He had just rounded the corner, when two men stepped out of the shadows. _Wow, how lucky was he?_ _Two nights in a row he had men just presenting themselves to him_. He grinned and stepped back into a defensive stance, but one of the men held his hands up in a gesture of peace.

"We don't want to fight you," one with pink hair stated.

"Yeah, we already know what you're capable of," the blond one added with a grin.

"Oh yeah? Ya know me er somethin'?" he asked cautiously.

_He didn't want to get King in trouble_.

"No, but you see, our boss would like to meet you," pink hair said.

"Who's yer boss, and why's he wanna meet me?" he continued to question.

"You can see for yourself. We're not here to hurt you, but we did see you in action last night, and our boss wants to offer you a job," Blondie said.

He narrowed his eyes and considered what Blondie had just told him. He had to admit, he was curious.

"What kinda job?" he asked, covering his bases.

"We can show you better than trying to explain it to you," pink hair said impatiently.

He paused before answering. "Fine, I got some time to spare," he said slowly.

"By the way, what's your name, kid?" Blondie inquired.

He smiled slowly. _Yeah, there was a name he'd always been partial to_. "Call me Shiro."


	4. Into the Fray

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Shiro, huh? Well, Shiro, come with us," Blondie said.

Shiro stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets, and wondered what kind of job this boss had to offer him. It wouldn't hurt to find out, though, that way if he didn't want to be bothered, he could just walk away from it, or so he thought.

Shiro followed the two men to a black luxury sedan and climbed into the back seat. Once they were settled in and en route to whatever destination those two had in mind, it dawned on Shiro that he had no idea who the fuck these guys were.

"So, ya know my name, but I don't know yers. Care ta fix that?" Shiro asked, while looking out of the window.

"I'm Ilforte," Blondie stated, then nudged pink hair, who was driving.

Pink hair scowled and glanced in the rearview mirror catching Shiro's eye. "Szayel," he stated irritatedly before returning his focus to the road.

The rest of the ride was silent and Shiro used that time to survey his surroundings just in case Ilforte and Szayel tried something funny. _They had weird names_. Shiro had never heard names like those before and wondered where the hell those two were from. They didn't have accents, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, either.

 _Well, he'd find out soon enough_.

They arrived at an extremely tall building in the business district of Karakura, and parked in the underground garage. Shiro followed Ilforte and Szayel to the elevator and looked around, eyes wide.

 _The place was fucking huge_.

The elevator doors slid open and once they all stepped inside and the doors shut, Szayel produced a small piece of metal the same size and shape as a credit card. He opened a panel beside the floor numbers and slid the piece of metal into a slot similar to an ATM. Shiro noticed the metal had a series of dots along the bottom of it, and assumed it had to be a key of some sort. Szayel held the key in place until a bright green light flashed twice, then he pressed a button with the letters "HM" engraved on it. The "HM" button illuminated a soft, golden color before the elevator started to descend. Shiro watched as Szayel replaced the key in the depths of his tan trench coat.

"Must be serious if ya gotta do all a'that just ta go down an elevator," Shiro commented offhandedly.

Ilforte just smiled, while Szayel gave Shiro a bland look. The elevator slid to a stop and the doors opened, Shiro immediately registering the sound of distant cheers as they moved towards a large set of steel, double doors, where two huge guys stood in front of them, wearing matching scowls and suits. Shiro felt a shiver of excitement slip down his spine as he grinned.

_This shit was like a movie!_

"Good evening, gentlemen," Szayel stated as he pulled an ID card from the mysterious depths of his trench coat, Ilforte following suit.

The two giants glanced pointedly at Shiro and Ilforte flashed a wide, charming smile. "Oh, he's with us," the blond said brightly, making Szayel roll his mustard-colored eyes.

The giants shrugged and pressed identical buttons on either side of the doors, making them swing open slowly. The sight that greeted Shiro's excited eyes, made his heart race and his blood boil. _It was like waking up to find that an immensely vivid wet dream had come true_.

They stepped through the doors and stood at the top of a wide, cement staircase. Below them, waves of screaming and cheering men and women stood in front of seats encircling an area blocked off by a thick metal railing, that held two men locked in a fierce fight. The seats were stadium style, with each row raised a bit higher than the one before it.

The staircase led all the way down to the fighting area, but had walls on either side of the steps to keep the crowd separate. _So this wasn't the public entrance?_ To the right of where Shiro stood, there was a platform enclosed by a metal railing with a group of seats that were occupied. He hadn't even noticed, due to his excitement over the sight before him.

There was a total of six people watching him with varying degrees of curiosity. _Weird bunch_. There was a guy with long, braided, black hair, wearing shades even though that part of the arena was dim. The man wore all black and looked pretty formidable.

Another man with wavy, brown hair and gray eyes was seated in front of the man with the shades, and only wore a pair of black, loose, drawstring pants; he was in the process of taping his hands.

Leaning against the metal railing and grinning fiendishly at Shiro, was a tall, lanky man with shoulder-length, black hair and a black bandana covering his left eye. He had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and although he was skinny, he still exuded a dangerous aura. Shiro knew never to underestimate anyone.

A petite man was seated to the right of the man with the shades. He had big, emerald-green eyes that looked rather empty, short, inky-black hair, and he was wearing a dark suit – Shiro couldn't tell if it was blue or black.

Next to him, was a really pretty woman with sea-green hair and wheat-gray eyes. She was smiling warmly at Shiro and he actually felt the urge to smile back, but the smile faltered when soft golden-brown met piercing blue.

XOXOXO

"Mmm...please," Renji panted.

His mouth hung open, while his face, although turned to the side, was pressed harshly into a pillow. His arms were tied behind his back, his ass in the air and his legs spread apart.

Byakuya tightened his grip on Renji's hips. "Please, what?" he asked calmly, slowly thrusting his hips forward and burying himself into Renji's tight heat.

"Nnngh...please, Byakuya-sama," Renji whined.

He was desperate to have Byakuya fuck him the way he normally did because this was just torture.

Byakuya chuckled softly but kept a slow, agonizing pace. Renji couldn't take it, and was positive his head was going to explode any minute. He wanted to throw his hips back and force Byakuya into a faster, harder pace, but Renji knew he would suffer worse teasing if he did.

"That's not good enough, Abarai-kun," Byakuya said mockingly.

He had to know Renji was dying for him to drill him into the mattress, but not until Byakuya got what he wanted first.

"Byakuya-sama...please...ahhhnn...please, fuck me," Renji pleaded over his shoulder, eyes clouded with lust.

Byakuya moaned softly, then threaded his fingers through Renji's soft, bright red hair and tugged, making the younger man arch his back. Gripping Renji's hip with his free hand, he began a grueling tempo, snapping his hips forward fast and hard, just the way Renji liked it.

"Ahhhhmmm...nnngghhh...YES!" the red head moaned loudly, pushing back to meet Byakuya's fervent thrusts.

Renji was so close, he could taste it every time Byakuya stimulated his prostate. Sweat slid down his brow and stung his eyes, but he didn't care. _It felt so good_. He moaned wantonly, hands fisting the sheets. Suddenly, Byakuya's hand left his hip and reached around to stroke Renji's straining length in time to his thrusts. Renji gasped, and crying out sharply, came forcefully in Byakuya's hand.

"Renji," Byakuya groaned as he felt the red head tighten significantly around him.

Unable to hold back his impending orgasm, Byakuya slammed into Renji a few more times and succumbed. Grunting softly, Byakuya untied Renji's arms and gently pulled out of the exhausted, tattooed body. Both men, still breathing harshly, lay together side by side, Renji tucking his head under Byakuya's chin and nuzzling his chest. Byakuya pulled the blanket over both of their bodies and wrapped his arm around Renji's waist, drawing him closer before placing a kiss on the younger man's forehead.

Renji lay in the post-coital bliss, thinking about how things had come to this between he and Byakuya. The day Rukia had introduced everyone to Byakuya Kuchiki, was the day Renji's world had changed drastically. From the first moment Renji had lain eyes on the stoic and seemingly cold, yet utterly gorgeous man, he had been smitten.

Renji had been fucking shell-shocked as well because for the longest time he'd only ever been attracted to one person: Rukia. Renji played it off as just being friendly and it had worked; no one knew the truth. Not even Shinji and Shinji could be scarily acute. It also helped that Rukia was enamored with Ichigo.

Then, Renji had seen Byakuya and everything had changed. The man was slightly taller than Renji, had long, black hair that had been kept out of his regal face by a thin, black elastic headband, and a body that was fucking perfect. Even though, at the time, Byakuya had been wearing a long-sleeved, white dress shirt tucked into a pair of perfectly fitting black slacks, Renji had seen the shape of the man's well-defined chest, slim waist that tapered into narrow hips, and muscular legs.

 _Shit, the guy had been fucking hot_.

 _Still was_.

It unnerved Renji because he had never found himself attracted to another man before; not that he had anything against being gay, he just never imagined himself in that situation.

Byakuya's unwavering, dark eyes had found Renji's shocked russet ones and a single, elegant, black brow had been raised. Renji had covered his open admiration by coughing and making an excuse to go to the bathroom.

Once inside, Renji splashed his face with cold water to try to get rid of the embarrassing blush tinging his cheeks. His uniform had suddenly felt too hot and constricting and Renji had known it was because of his sudden attraction to Rukia's step-brother, of all people. He had been so distracted that he hadn't noticed the door to the bathroom opening and closing. Oh, but Renji had noticed the object of his suddenly very naughty thoughts walk behind him to the urinals.

Renji had stood with his mouth agape and eyes fixed on the man's back, before he'd realized that he'd looked and felt like a fucking fool. Even if Renji was extremely attracted to the man, he hadn't known if Byakuya was straight, or whatever, hell he'd just discovered his own interest in another man. Renji had blown out a frustrated breath and started to leave, when the man had spoken.

_"Your name. What is it?" Byakuya asked, without even turning around. Renji's eyes widened and his heart skipped about three beats._

_He spoke to him!_

_"Renji. Renji Abarai," he croaked._

_Oh yeah, that's nice. Scare the guy away with the frog stuck in your throat._

_Byakuya flushed the urinal and moved to wash his hands, his eyes never meeting Renji's. Frowning in confusion, Renji turned away, when Byakuya spoke again._

_Dammit, the man's voice was doing strange things to his already skewed hormones._

_"It was very nice to meet you, Renji Abarai," Byakuya rumbled, then stepped around Renji and left the bathroom._

_Renji was left speechless and confused as hell._

_"Wha-?" he couldn't make his mouth form words for shit._

About a month after the bathroom incident, as Renji had dubbed it, he'd seen Byakuya at the mall in the bookstore. Renji had been distracted by the newest installment of his favorite manga and hadn't noticed the pair of dark eyes watching him.

_Renji turned to head towards the checkout area to make his purchase, when he ran sidelong into someone._

_"Ah, sor-" the words trailed off, dying in his throat._

_Byakuya raised a brow and Renji swore the corner of his mouth lifted into the smallest hint of a smirk. Renji felt stupid for staring, but it seemed like his brain had eased its way out of his head through his nose._

_"Renji, you should be more careful," Byakuya calmly issued._

_Renji continued to gape until he blurted something so lame, he'd been embarrassed about it for days. "You remember my name."_

_There. Didn't he say it was fucking lame?_

_Renji just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear possibly for the rest of his life. His face flushed to match the hue of his hair and he scowled darkly at the floor, like this whole situation was its fault. Then he heard a soft chuckle._

_"I do," Byakuya was obviously amused. "Here, take this. I wish to talk with you somewhere more...appropriate."_

_Renji glanced down at the elegant business card being held out, then back up to meet dancing, dark eyes. To say he was surprised was an understatement. Grossly._

_"O-OK. When should I-" Renji paused. He didn't know what the hell he was doing, so he didn't know how to go about asking the man when he was free._

_"Friday evening, if you please," Byakuya replied almost instantly as he stepped closer to Renji and leaned towards his ear. "Do not keep me waiting, Renji."_

After that, Byakuya had turned and exited the bookstore, leaving a thoroughly aroused Renji in his wake. That Friday, Renji had called and after talking for hours on end, he and Byakuya had ended up having rough and frenzied sex. It had been a night of discovery in many aspects for Renji, not to mention his ass had been sore for _days_. They had continued seeing each other, even though Renji had only been sixteen at the time and pretty much new to the whole homosexual thing.

Now, Renji was twenty and couldn't deny that he'd grown to have strong feelings for Byakuya. It still made him blush when he thought about it, but he didn't want to hide their relationship anymore and Byakuya wanted Renji to move in with him. Renji glanced up into Byakuya's sleeping face and smiled. It was time he told his friends about his lover.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow thought that he and Nnoitra had it bad when it came to fighting, but this kid that Szayel and Ilforte had brought along with them was... _hell, he couldn't even find the words to describe him_.

The brat would get this wild look in his honey-brown eyes whenever he would glance down at the two fighters in the pit, like he was two seconds away from joining them. Grimmjow could recognize blood-lust a mile away, but it didn't take a genius to see that in this kid.

 _And what the hell was up with his hair? Orange? No, correction, bright ass, freshly picked, tangerine orange_. _Well, at least it wasn't pink_. _Szayel's hair just rubbed him the wrong way for some reason_.

The boy stood with his arms at his sides and his fists clenched, but Grimmjow could practically see his muscles twitching and jumping every now and then. Yeah, this guy could be someone Grimmjow might be able to tolerate.

 _Maybe_.

"Tousen, this is Shiro...oi, you got a last name?" Ilforte asked.

 _Idiot_.

"Yeah, but I think I'll keep that ta myself. I still don't know any of ya, or what the hell ya want. All ya told me was somethin' 'bout a job and that ain't much," Shiro stated, his eyes never leaving the two men still going at it.

Nnoitra chuckled and Nel giggled. "He's cute," Nel commented with a smile.

"Yeah, he is," Nnoitra agreed. Grimmjow almost rolled his eyes.

 _Trust Nnoitra to actually agree to something like that out loud_.

"Our boss has a proposition that we think may be of interest to you," Ulquiorra spoke up.

"Yeah, tha's another thing, ain't it? Who's this boss ya keep talkin' 'bout and why's he so gung-ho ta meet me?" Shiro asked.

He looked like he was getting irritated, but his eyes still never left the fighting men. Suddenly, there was a deafening roar as one of the fighters went down hard. Grimmjow glanced at the Shiro kid and grinned. The kid's eyes were wide and bright and his body looked poised for action.

"Ya see that down there? Course ya do. Well tha's what we do. We fight, and if yer good enough, ya get paid for it. The boss-man needs another fighter and Szayel and Ilforte here say ya fit the bill," Nnoitra explained.

 _This drew the kid's attention immediately_.

"I was not done speaking, Jiruga," Ulquiorra stated.

"Che, like I give a shit. Got his attention though, didn't I?" Nnoitra snapped.

"Ya mean, I get ta fight down there? And get money for it?" Shiro asked. Grimmjow had to fight the growing urge to laugh loudly. The brat looked like Nnoitra with a new toy. _Shit was hilarious_. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. Ya just gotta prove it to the boss-man that ya got what it takes and then depending on how good ya are, ya start gettin' paid and ya might even make rank," Nnoitra replied, scratching his chin.

The boy looked longingly down at the pit again. Grimmjow knew for a fact that there was no possible way in hell this kid would refuse.

XOXOXO

Shiro was being offered a pipe dream; he knew that, just as well as he knew there had to be some type of catch, or drawback, or something. This kind of shit didn't exist in the real world. Not that he knew of, at least. He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the possibility of fighting to his heart's content and getting paid for it. _Impossible_. Not to mention, King would probably flip his shit, thinking he was out robbing people at night if Shiro came home all scuffed and bruised with a pocket full of money.

 _Then again, this just seemed too good to pass up_.

"Ya said I hafta prove myself ta the boss, right? When do I do that?" Shiro asked.

While Shiro had been having an internal conflict, he had missed the silence that seemed to have fallen over the small group, but he noticed it now. Shiro frowned as he took in the somber faces.

_What the hell had happened?_

"Perhaps I can answer that."

Shiro whirled around to face the deep voice that had addressed him and warily assessed the man before him. _Why did this guy automatically raise his hackles and put him on instant alert?_ Shiro scowled. The man was around 6'1", had a medium build and wore an expensive-looking, white suit, his aura dripping authority. His smile was friendly, but it didn't manage to reach his cold, amber-brown eyes. Shiro watched as the man brushed a strand of matching brown hair out of his face before moving to take a seat.

Everyone stood respectfully as the man seated himself, followed by a vaguely familiar man. _Where had he seen this guy before?_ The man was looking at Shiro – at least he thought so, since the guy's eyes looked for all the world like they were closed – strangely with a wide grin, his silver hair covering his brow. Then recognition hit Shiro like a mack truck.

 _That was the little fucker that had caused King to start fighting in middle school_. _Gin, or some shit like that_.

"What the fuck're ya staring at, asshole?" Shiro snarled.

Gin's smile widened and his eyes crinkled in the corners. "Maah, ya remember me, then? I'm flattered. Ya still a momma's boy?" he mocked.

"Ya want me to show ya?" Shiro asked, taking a menacing step forward.

"Now, now, gentlemen, do calm down. Business first, play later," the man that had addressed Shiro earlier, stated, still smiling.

Shiro scowled darkly, but caught the startled gaze of the blue-haired guy he'd noticed earlier. He remembered cringing when he'd caught himself thinking how good-looking Blue Hair was.

"Tch," Shiro noised and folded his arms across his chest in an effort to keep from throwing himself at Gin and strangling the skinny prick.

"I see. I hope this bad blood between you and Gin does not influence your decision, Shiro-san. Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Sosuke Aizen, owner of Hueco Mundo," the authoritative one said.  
"Hueco Mundo?" Shiro inquired, feeling like an idiot.

The man only smiled and gestured around himself. "This place, of course. The entire building, actually."

"Mmm, so what that tall guy was sayin', it's true?"

"Yes," Aizen nodded.

"And there ain't a catch er nothing? I just gotta show ya I can fight?"

 _He still didn't believe it_.

"Indeed, Shiro-san. As a matter of fact, you can show me tonight if you'd like," Aizen suggested, only it sounded more like 'you'll do it or else.'

Shiro didn't have time to dwell on that, though because his mind immediately grasped the idea and held on tightly; he would show the guy exactly what he could do. Besides, he had to blow off some steam since he obviously couldn't beat up the boss's pet.

 _Fucking Gin, showing up there of all places_.

"Fine. Who ya got in mind?" Shiro asked, grumpily.

"Me," Szayel stated coolly.

Shiro's eyes widened. _Eh?_

Szayel noticed Shiro's confused expression and smiled. "You were brought here to replace one of us and his rank was the one above mine. We need to know that you deserve that title," he explained.

"Us?" Shiro cocked his head to the right. "Who's us?"

"The Espada: a group of ten fighters under my employ that represent Karakura in the underground fighting arena," Aizen revealed. "Other cities' groups gather here to compete for supremacy and, of course, money. Currently, the Espada hold the title of number one in Japan."

"Ah, and what was this guy's rank?" Shiro asked.

"Septima Espada," Szayel responded.

"A who-now?"

Shiro heard the green-haired woman giggle and the tall man cackle. Even Blue Hair smirked.

"Rank seven. You had best get used to that title...that is if you manage to earn it," Szayel retorted with a wicked grin.

Shiro lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "I see. So, when do we do this?" Shiro asked.

 _Now he was anxious to wipe the floor with that pink-haired ego trip_.

"After my fight, I'm guessing," the gray-eyed man with brown hair said as he stood. He regarded Shiro with the most detached expression Shiro had ever seen. "I'm Starrk Coyote, Primero Espada," he claimed.

Shiro nodded and watched the man walk past him, then down the stairs towards the fighting area.

"What's primero?" Shiro asked the green-haired woman as he took a seat beside her.

She smiled brightly. "That's number one. I'm Neliel Tu Odershvank, but you should call me Nel," she said.

She reminded Shiro of King's little sister, Yuzu. _All bubbly and warm_.

"Yer Espada too?" he asked.

"Not anymore. I used to be Tercero Espada – that's three – before I retired. I don't really like to fight all that much, plus, I'm better at advertising."

Shiro's mouth hung open. _What? He had assumed that the Espada were ranked as their numbers suggested_. _So, that meant that this woman had been ranked third out of ten fighters? Holy shit!_

Nel noticed Shiro's astounded expression and giggled as she looped an arm around his, leaning into him. "I hope you do get recruited. I like you," she said, grinning so widely her eyes creased in the corners.

Shiro shrank away. "King don't like girls. Course, he don't know that yet," he stated without thinking.

Nel's expression turned puzzled. "King?" she inquired.

Shiro's eyes widened as he realized his blunder. "I mean, ya know, just a joke," he said, stumbling over the words.

Nel just grinned and smiled again. "Oh, OK, then, Shiro," she said energetically.

He sighed in relief and continued his interrogation. "So who else is Espada?" he asked and looked around at the remaining faces. _Then a disturbing thought hit him_. "That little shit Gin ain't Espada, is he?"

Nel giggled and hugged his arm tighter. "Nope, he's not," she reassured. "As for who else is Espada, there's Nnoi here," she said and pointed at the tall guy with the bandana.

"How many fuckin' times I gotta tell ya not to call me that shit?" the tall guy snarled and balled up a fist.

Nel just smiled. "Oh, calm down, you boar. That's Nnoitra Jiruga, Quinto Espada – that's five."

Nnoitra gave Shiro a mock salute and Shiro grinned. _He kinda liked the guy_.

"Then there's Ulqui-" Nel started, but was cut off by the green-eyed man.

"Ulqui _orra_ Schiffer, Cuarto Espada," he said dryly.

Nel rolled her eyes. "That's four," she stage-whispered. "Anyway, Szayel is Octavo Espada, which is eight, Noveno is nine, but he's not here. Neither is Decimo, which is ten, the current Tercero, and Segundo, which is two. You'll probably meet them later. You follow so far?" she paused to ask.

Shiro nodded. "Who's number six?" he asked as he scratched the tip of his nose.

"Oh, that's Grimmy! _I_ found _him_!" Nel cried as if she had just discovered oil.

Shiro grinned but he was still puzzled. "Who-" Shiro started, but was interrupted by a deep, gruff voice.

"Me."

Shiro's head swung around to his right and his eyes met vivid blue. Ohhh. Blue Hair. Blue Hair was staring at Shiro, and it unnerved him when an unconscious shiver crept down his spine.

_What the hell was that? And why the fuck was his mouth suddenly so dry?_

Blue Hair had on a plain, black, v-neck t-shirt, black jeans, and black motorcycle boots. A black, leather wristband was cuffed around his right wrist, while a black, leather-banded watch adorned his left, his hands resting on the metal railing behind him as he leaned against it. His bright blue hair fell across his forehead in the front, but sported a fresh-out-of-bed look everywhere else.

The way Blue Hair watched Shiro, reminded him of a large, predatory cat stalking its prey. It made Shiro shift nervously in his seat.

 _What the fuck?_ _He didn't do squirming, so why the hell was he doing it now?_

"Yep, he's the officially recruited Sexta Espada," Nel said proudly while Blue hair scowled.

"Grimmy?" Shiro asked. A strange look crossed Blue Hair's face before his scowl deepened and Nnoitra cackled.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," Blue Hair corrected. Shiro nodded.

_They all had crazy ass names then, huh?_

XOXOXO

Shinji was pissed. He at least thought that he and Ichigo were friends, but here the orange-haired man was keeping things from him. Shinji looked up at the Espada spectator box again and frowned. There was no mistaking Ichigo's bright orange hair and infamous scowl. _That was him alright_.

_Question was, what the fuck was he doing up there with the Espada?_

Shinji knew he really had no place to accuse Ichigo of not sharing secrets, when he, himself, had one of his own. He'd been coming to the underground fighting arena for a year now, after having been invited by the owner of the tattoo parlor where he worked. After seeing how excited Shinji had gotten during a random conversation about martial arts, the owner had given him a ticket with an address and had suggested Shinji check it out. Shinji had the hugest crush on the man and had jumped at the chance to see him outside of work.

Starrk Coyote was one big, walking wet dream in Shinji's opinion, what with those gray, bedroom eyes and that perfect body, and Shinji was hell-bent on getting the man's attention. Sure, Starrk was cordial, but Shinji wanted more, so he'd resorted to coming to Hueco Mundo to watch him fight. In the meantime, Shinji had basically learned everything about the whole underground fighting arena and the Espada, and he was secretly proud that Starrk was the Primero Espada.

_So, what the fuck was Ichigo doing up there with them?_

Shinji didn't know, but Ichigo had some explaining to do. Now that he thought about it, this could explain the reason for Ichigo's early nights and his cut knuckles and arms. _It made sense_.

At that moment, Starrk made his way to the pit and started stretching, while he awaited the arrival of his opponent. Shinji heard it was some guy from Osaka, who was supposedly really tough, but Shinji wasn't worried. Starrk was currently undefeated and he didn't see that changing anytime soon.

Starrk's opponent finally made his way into the pit and sneered at the brunet. Shinji felt his eye twitch. Cocky bastard didn't know who he was dealing with.

Starrk lifted an eyebrow and cracked his knuckles as the announcer, Menoly, spoke. "Tonight's main event will be Ebisu Hanma from the Osaka faction, The Blades, and Karakura's Primero Espada, Staarrrrrk Coyoteeeeeee!" the short blonde exclaimed over the microphone, amidst thunderous cheers. "Rules are: no weapons, or foreign substances, but other than that, anything goes! OK, gentleman, to the center please. Bow. OK, let's fighto!"

Shinji was pumped, already on his feet, and could feel adrenaline coursing through his blood as if he were participating and not just spectating. He loved this part, where he was overwhelmed with anticipation as he watched Starrk and his opponent circle each other, sizing one another up.

The Ebisu guy lunged at Starrk with a raised fist, but hit nothing but air as Starrk dodged and came up behind him in the blink of an eye. Ebisu whirled around with his eyes comically wide, only to stumble backwards from a powerful one-two to the face. While Ebisu went to grab his bleeding and broken nose, Starrk connected a roundhouse kick to the man's jaw, and that was all she wrote for Ebisu-san.

Shinji screamed and cheered along with the crowd as Menoly declared Starrk the winner and still undefeated Primero Espada. A disgusted-looking blond man came to the pit and dragged Ebisu's unconscious form out of the arena, cursing up a storm the entire time. Shinji just chuckled and admired Starrk's retreating form, but upon glancing up at the Espada spectator area, he was reminded of Ichigo's presence.

As Shinji started filing out behind the rest of the crowd, his forehead creased into a frown. He would have to ask Ichigo what the hell he had been doing there.

XOXOXO

As usual, Starrk's fight had ended ridiculously fast. Grimmjow watched as the arena emptied and every following noise was echoed in the abrupt silence. The remaining people moved to the audience seats to get a better look at the upcoming fight.

Aizen was seated in the first row with Gin, Tousen and Ulquiorra on either side of him, Starrk plopped down two rows behind them next to Ilforte, who was complaining about missing sleep and Grimmjow took a seat next to Nnoitra, at the very top row of the stadium-styled rows. He yawned loudly. Szayel, Nel and that Shiro kid had disappeared to get ready for the match. Grimmjow guessed Nel was showing the brat where to get changed into the customary black pants all of the fighters wore.

 _Hell, there was a whole mess of them in the changing room, so that was one less thing for the boy to worry about_.

"Ya think Szayel's gonna take a body part for a trophy tonight?" Nnoitra asked and leaned back in his seat.

Grimmjow shrugged. "Fuck if I know."

"Yer borin'."

"I don't give a shit," Grimmjow smiled and then paused, a thoughtful expression settling over his angular features. "I don't think the kid is gonna let Szayel win this one," he said slowly as he rubbed his chin.

This gained the attention of Ilforte, who turned to face Grimmjow and grinned. "Why do you say that?" he queried.

Grimmjow shrugged again. "Just somethin' about him," he said as Szayel re-entered the arena and made his way to the pit.

Not even a minute later, Nel and Shiro re-emerged and headed for the pit. Grimmjow felt a shiver of excitement race down his spine as he watched Szayel and Shiro meet in the center of the pit.

 _This was sure to be interesting_.


	5. Acceptance

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Fuck you!" Tesla spat.

His mouth and the side of his head was bleeding, and he was pretty sure a couple of his ribs were broken.

"Tsk, tsk, now, now, just tell me what I wanna know, and you can go on your merry little way," Tesla's tormentor cooed.

"I told you all I know already! What the fuck do you want from me?" Tesla screamed.

"Tesla-san, I need names. For instance, I don't wanna know that someone is replacing the Septima Espada position because I don't give a shit about that. I need the name of the bastard that took the Sexta Espada position and the name of Aizen's right hand. Those are the things I want from you," the man said in a syrupy-sweet voice.

Tesla gulped audibly. He was still wearing a blindfold, so there was a chance he would be let go if he just gave the man the information he wanted. On the other hand, if Tesla squealed on Nnoitra-san's best friend, let alone Aizen's most trusted employee, he would surely die. Not to mention, his chances with Nnoitra-san would decrease dramatically. However, if he didn't give this man what he wanted, there was no telling what would be done.

 _It was a lose-lose situation_.

Tesla hung his head in defeat. If he had to die, he would rather die honorably than as a rat. Besides, he loved Nnoitra-san, even if the man was unaware of it, and he would rather die than betray him.

"I've told you all I know and that doesn't include names," Tesla stated firmly as he lifted his chin defiantly.

"Che, I guess you're useless then," the man said, and the last thing Tesla heard was a reverberating gunshot.

XOXOXO

Shiro felt like his fucking heart had crawled into his throat and pitched a tent there. Don't get him wrong, he wasn't nervous, or scared, or some shit like that. _No_.

He was...

 _Maybe a visual would help_.

Shiro stood in the center of the Hueco Mundo pit, wearing loose, black, drawstring pants, no shirt, his hands taped to mid-forearm, and his feet taped to just above his ankle. He was facing Szayel Aporro Grantz, who was clothed in the same manner, minus his glasses.

Shiro was sweating lightly, his heart racing, and he had a raging hard-on. Excited didn't quite accurately cover his mood at the moment.

"So, are we ready gentlemen?" Aizen called from his seat in the stands. Both men nodded and bowed respectfully. "You may begin."

Shiro backed away from Szayel slightly so he could observe him, and noticed that Szayel had done the same. Szayel's eyes gleamed and his mouth spread into an evil grin as they began circling one another. Shiro watched Szayel's feet as they moved. He had to- _what?_ All of sudden, Szayel lunged forward and buried his fist into Shiro's stomach twice.

 _He's fast! But_...

Szayel dropped and swept Shiro's feet from under him, making Shiro land hard on his back. Out of nowhere, Szayel's heel came crashing down into Shiro's stomach. _But_...Shiro rolled over onto his hands and knees, gasping for breath, his stomach and lungs burning like they were on fire. This was what he had been missing: this feeling of elation as he exchanged blows with an opponent.

Szayel kicked Shiro in the stomach again, making Shiro grunt as he rolled onto his back, spread-eagle. _But_...As Shiro lay catching his breath, a slow, manic grin spread across his features and his eyes flickered a distinct amber instead of the usual warm brown. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Szayel sped towards him again. _But_...

 _Not fast enough_.

Szayel lifted his leg to kick Shiro in the stomach again, when Shiro grabbed Szayel's ankle and rolled towards him, knocking the pink-haired man off his feet. Szayel crashed gracelessly to the ground and looked at Shiro with a scowl as Shiro climbed to his feet, eyes wide and grin displaying a mouthful of pearly whites.

 _Yep, knew it_. _He's fast, but his coordination is shit_. Szayel stood with a huff and narrowed his eyes at Shiro. _Ohhhh, he looks pissed! Hahahaha! This was so fun!_

"Don't gloat just yet," Szayel snapped. "You have far more damage than I do!"

Shiro looked down at his stomach, touched the bruises already beginning to show and giggled. "Damage? This ain't damage! These here are love-taps! Damage, he says! Stop the fuckin' teasin' an' hit me already, Pinky!" Shiro yelled, sounding and looking positively insane.

Szayel's eyes narrowed before he pursed his lips and stood his ground.

"Do you think provoking me will make me lose focus? Such an amateur. That won't work on me, little boy," Szayel said disapprovingly.

Shiro's brow creased in confusion as he spread his hands palms-up before him. "Ehhhh? So ya won't hit me, 'zat what ya sayin'?" Shiro asked, disappointed. Then, his eyes sparkled. "OK!"

That being said, Shiro rushed toward Szayel, displaying a speed comparable to Starrk's. Szayel's eyes widened as he tried to counter with a roundhouse kick, but Shiro swayed backwards flexibly, avoiding the foot and kicking his right leg up at the same time, catching Szayel right under his chin. Szayel flew back about ten feet and landed hard on his back. Shiro cackled wildly and rushed towards the slowly rising Szayel, who only had time to face Shiro before he was bombarded with a barrage of punches. After Shiro threw his last punch, he stepped into a swift, straight-legged kick that thundered into Szayel's chest, knocking him backwards through the air and against the metal railing surrounding the pit.

Shiro stood grinning and panting as he watched Szayel sink to the ground, completely unconscious. _Awww, no more? Well, that had been fun_. _Short, but nonetheless fun_.

There was complete silence before a single person began clapping slowly. Shiro turned to face the group of people he had completely forgotten about, and frankly, wasn't even thinking of now. He was still riding his high.

XOXOXO

"What the fuck was that?" Nnoitra exclaimed, his mouth hanging open.

Grimmjow was in no better condition. When the fight had first begun, he'd thought he'd be eating his words about the kid not letting Szayel win. That was, until he'd noticed the crazy ass grin that Shiro kid had been wearing, even after getting the shit kicked out of him.

The fucking speed and agility the guy possessed was mind-boggling. To sway backwards in the middle of a high-speed rush was insane, not to mention how powerful his blows were. Grimmjow had fucking goosebumps, and the fine hairs on his arms and neck were standing on end.

"I have no fuckin' clue," Grimmjow murmured in response to Nnoitra's incredulous question.

Aizen rose to his feet and slowly began clapping, while Gin watched, a scowl pulled across his face. "Suffice it to say, Shiro-san, you would be a very valuable asset should you decide to accept my offer. I admit, I had my doubts in the beginning, but you've more than redeemed yourself. So, what say you? Will you join?" Aizen asked, friendly grin firmly in place.

The silence was so acute, you could hear a mouse piss on cotton. Grimmjow sat forward in his seat as he watched the kid contemplate Aizen's proposition, knowing full well that after a fight like that, there was no way he'd refuse.

 _And there was no way Aizen would let him refuse either_.

"What do I gotta do?" the kid asked.

Aizen's smile widened. "Excellent! I can send someone to you with the information tomorrow. You will also need to have your rank tattoo done," he replied.

Grimmjow watched as the kid's eyes widened significantly, and he opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out. _Kid must be overwhelmed_. _That had been one hell of a fight_.

"W-what time tomorrow?" the kid asked.

He sounded nervous to Grimmjow, but he could be mistaken. Hell, after seeing Szayel put down like that, Grimmjow was willing to believe in Santa Clause, the Boogeyman and the Tooth Fairy all at once.

"What time is good for you, Shiro-san?" Aizen asked.

 _Aizen must want the kid pretty badly if he was being that nice_.

"After eleven."

"Fine, I will send someone tomorrow afternoon-"

"N-no, I mean after eleven at night. I-I got things ta do in the day, so nights er better for me," the kid stammered.

"Hmm, that can be arranged," Aizen stated. "Please leave your address with Ulquiorra before you go. Welcome to the Espada, Shiro-san."

With that, Aizen turned and steadily climbed the stairs to the exit, Gin following close behind. Once he'd left the arena, everyone huddled around the kid, except Ilforte, who went to check on Szayel.

"Oh my god! Shiro! You were so good!" Nel exclaimed.

"Fuck that shit! How'd ya get so fast?" Nnoitra asked, pushing Nel out of the way.

"I wish to inquire about his agility. You are extremely flexible, Shiro-san," Ulquiorra dead-panned.

Grimmjow just observed from a distance. It hadn't been his imagination; the kid _was_ nervous.

_Question was, why?_

XOXOXO

Now, he'd gone and done it. King was gonna flip for sure when he found out. Not to mention, he had to get a fucking tattoo! Shiro groaned and hung his head as he sat on the edge of the bed, safely back in King's apartment.

He was freshly showered and ready for sleep, but afraid to lay down and close his eyes. King was probably going to lose his mind when he noticed the bruises on his abdomen. _Oh, and let's not forget what Shiro had planned for_... _fuuuuck, he was going to traumatize King_. _Unless there was_... _shit_... _why hadn't he thought of that sooner?_

Shiro crawled into bed, under the covers, and shut his eyes tightly. He hoped it would work. The last time he'd tried communicating with King it had been fruitless. Now, maybe since King was older, he would listen.

Shiro retreated into Ichigo's mind and probed tentatively for his presence. Horizontal buildings sprang up out of the darkness and the black background faded to a clear, blue sky.

 _Ah, there he is! Let's see now_...

'Oi! King! Wake yer ass up! I need ta talk ta ya!' Shiro called to Ichigo's sleeping form. Ichigo didn't stir at all. _Shit, this had to work!_ 'OI! What the fuck, sleeping beauty, get UP!'

Ichigo still didn't budge. _Great! This was a fucking disaster!_ Shiro stood over Ichigo and tried to kick him, but his foot passed right through Ichigo's body. _How did the shit work? There had to be a way to communicate with Ichigo if he could see him_. _This was his world to begin with, so why the fuck couldn't he touch or even talk to his King?_

Shiro had learned to influence Ichigo's urge to sleep at night, but it was still shaky because Ichigo was a stubborn brat. Shiro just hoped he could do the same when the time came for the Espada to visit. He would have to work on communicating with King at another time.

XOXOXO

_This was bullshit!_ This was the second fucking time Ichigo had gone to bed and woken up fucked up in some way, and he was absolutely fed up. He was scared and just knew for a fact that he was indeed losing his mind.

 _That morning he had risen to multiple – yes, he said multiple – fucking bruises on his abdomen, like someone had decided to use his stomach as a punching bag_. _And and and! His body was still fucking sore!_

As much as Ichigo didn't want to do it, he saw no other options. He didn't care if he had to beat that retarded shopkeeper/therapist like a dirty rug, Ichigo was going to find out what the fuck was happening to him, and he would make damned sure that Urahara kept his mouth shut.

"Ichigo, are you sure you're alright?" Rukia asked.

 _Bless her, she was only concerned, but he was in a venomous mood and had to be careful of what he said_. _And why the fuck was Shinji staring at him like that?_

"I'm fine, Rukia, just a little tired," he lied.

Ichigo seemed to be getting good at that, which pissed him off. He didn't want to lie to his friends, but there was no way he could tell them what was going on, without them thinking he was ape-shit. Bad enough Ichigo already thought that way about himself, he didn't need the people he cared about thinking it too.

"Well, how was your first day of class, Ichigo?" Shinji asked.

 _He sounded mighty hostile_.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and nodded. "It was OK. Nothin' special. How are your business courses?"

Shinji shrugged. "So-so," he responded. "Sooo, Ichigo, what'd you do after Chad, Renji and me left?"

Ichigo's breath caught in his throat and he felt the blood drain from his face as his eyes met Shinji's. _Did Shinji know what Ichigo had done? Had he seen him somewhere? Fuck!_ Ichigo was well on his way to a mental breakdown, when Renji walked up to the group, wearing a serious expression.

"Yo," he greeted.

"Yo, yourself," Ichigo replied as relief flooded his system.

He avoided Shinji's narrow-eyed gaze and instead focused on Renji.

"I need to talk to everybody. It's kinda important,"Renji said, almost fretfully.

Rukia regarded Renji with concern and a little amused gleam in her eye that made Ichigo feel lost. Then it dawned on him. _Byakuya! Ah!_ _Was Renji finally ready to talk about him?_

"Sure. You know we're here for you," Rukia said and grasping Renji's elbow, led him to a picnic table in the recreational area of the university.

Ishida, Chado and Inoue followed close behind, while Shinji hung back to walk beside Ichigo. "Ichigo, I saw you last night, so don't deny it!" he whispered angrily.

Ichigo blanched. "Deny what?" he whispered back.

Shinji grabbed Ichigo's arm, halting his progress. "Dammit, Ichigo! I'm your friend! Fuck, the least you could do is tell me the truth! I saw you with the Espada last night at Hueco Mundo!" he whispered vehemently.

Ichigo stared blankly at Shinji, his mouth opening and closing. _What the fuck should he say?_ _He didn't have the slightest idea what Shinji was going on about_. _Espada? Hueco Mundo? What the hell was that?_

"Shinji, can we talk about this later?" he pleaded desperately.

Shinji narrowed his eyes and stood nose-to-nose with him. "We most certainly will. Don't think I'll forget!" he said, then whirled on his heel and marched to the table everyone had secured.

Ichigo felt like someone was playing a joke on him, and he didn't get the punchline. Shinji, one of his closest friends, was thoroughly pissed with him and claiming to have seen Ichigo at Huko Muno... _or whatever the fuck he said_. He didn't even know _what_ or _where_ that was, let alone _why_ he would be there. _Enough was enough_. Ichigo was throwing in the towel and admitting he needed help. As he took a seat across from Renji, Shinji, Inoue, and Ishida, and next to Rukia and Chado, he came to a conclusion. Ichigo would tell Shinji what was happening to him and maybe Shinji could help fill in the gaps about that place he'd gone to.

"Umm," Renji paused and bit his lip. "This is kinda, uhh, weird, but you guys deserve to know 'cuz you're my friends."

Rukia reached over and patted Renji's arms that were folded on the table. "Just tell us," she encouraged.

Renji nodded and took a deep breath. "I-I'm g-gay," he stuttered as his face flushed.

Ichigo smirked. "What, did you think we were gonna throw rotten fruit at you and run you out of town?" he teased the red head.

Renji looked around at everyone's faces, then exhaled sharply and produced a shaky smile. Inoue giggled and hugged his arm, while Shinji gave his trademark dramatic sigh. Ishida and Chado just stared blankly.

"Soooo, how long have you been seeing my brother?" Rukia asked with a sly grin.

Renji paled visibly. "H-how did you know that? He said he never told you."

Rukia hooted and slapped her hand against the tabletop. "He didn't have to! Remember those boxers with the red lips all over that I got you for Christmas last year?" Rukia asked and Renji nodded hesitantly. "Well, I kinda found them stuffed between the refrigerator and the kitchen counter at Byakuya's condo. Heh, then I saw his cell phone's screen-saver. I didn't know you could bend like that, Renji," Rukia teased.

Renji groaned and dropped his head onto the table as everyone howled with laughter. Even Ishida and Chado chuckled.

"So, just how long have you had the wool over our eyes?" Ichigo asked, genuinely curious.

 _Renji was good to be able to hide something like that_.

"Well, about a month after Rukia introduced him to us at Seireitei," Renji said sheepishly.

"What the fuck?" Shinji screeched. "How did I not notice this?"

"I, honestly, don't know. I was sure one of you would find out, especially you, Shinji," Renji commented as his phone rang. He glanced at the readout, blushed, then held the device to his ear. "Hey," he answered.

"Oooooooo, that must be the man of the hour," Rukia said boisterously.

"He says not to be rude. OI! What kind of screen-saver you got on your phone?" As he listened, Renji's face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. "Why would you-"

"Well, I'm gonna leave you guys to it. I've got another class soon. Congrats, bastard," Ichigo hurriedly said to Renji as he left the table.

He didn't mean to be rude, but he really was going to be late for his next class if he didn't get going. Ichigo felt a tug on his shirt and glanced over his shoulder to see Shinji standing with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face.

"Are you running away, Ichigo? I never took you for a coward," Shinji seethed.

Ichigo frowned. "Would you stop it, Shinji! I really do have a class to get to, but you can stop by my place tonight. We can talk then," he stated, leaving no room for argument.

"Fine," Shinji said and stalked off.

XOXOXO

"Ya need ta get laid. This is fucking ridiculous, ya know?" Nnoitra exclaimed irritably.

Grimmjow scoffed and continued his workout. He didn't need Nnoitra telling him he needed to get laid. _Hell he already knew that_. It _had_ been a while.

"So? After Shiro gets his tattoo, we're going out and yer gonna find a hot little body to keep ya company tonight. Yer fucking insufferable when yer sexually frustrated," Nnoitra continued to rant.

"Fine, whatever," Grimmjow said distractedly as he counted squat number seventy-five.

Grimmjow hadn't shared his bed with anyone recently because he just wasn't in the mood for whining men that always wanted more than what he was willing to offer, which was strictly a fuck and nothing more. He didn't need some harpy hanging onto him and nagging him... _god, it pissed him off just thinking about it_.

He dropped to the floor and began a series of one-armed push-ups. If he were to be perfectly honest with himself, he had felt a tiny, smidgen of attraction when he'd first locked eyes with that Shiro kid, but it had passed just as quickly as it had come. Grimmjow shook his head. However, the kid's personality drew him in. It was so similar to his own, except less rough around the edges.

Grimmjow stood and plopped onto the couch beside Nnoitra, who glared at him and curled his lip in disgust.

"Ya stink!"

"My house," Grimmjow mumbled as he took a long pull from the bottle of water on the coffee table.

"Ya suck."

"You wish."

"Heh, not me. Maybe that pretty little orange-head," Nnoitra said and eyed Grimmjow from the corner of his eye.

Grimmjow glowered at Nnoitra. "The fuck ya talkin' 'bout?" he demanded.

Nnoitra smirked. "Ya don't even realize how ya were looking at him, do ya?"

"He's a good fighter," Grimmjow shrugged.

"Nice try, but no. Ya looked like you were undressin' him right there, and that was before his fight. Jus' admit ya like him. Might save us some time," Nnoitra scolded, then wrinkled his nose. "Get yer ass in the shower, Jaegerjaques!"

"Fuck you," Grimmjow growled, but stalked off to the bathroom.

_Could he be attracted to that orange-head?_

XOXOXO

"Get the fuck outta here," Shinji breathed.

Ichigo heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back against the headboard of his bed. He'd explained everything to Shinji and felt infinitely better just getting it off his chest. It was up to Shinji to believe him or not.

"Is this the first time this kind of thing's happened?" Shinji's eyes were wide and excited.

"So far that I know of, yeah. Last night and the night before. First it was the cuts on my arms and hands, now it's this," Ichigo said and lifted his t-shirt to show Shinji the bruises on his stomach.

"Holy shit, Ichigo! You've got a split personality!" his blond friend cried.

He and Shinji were currently holed up in Ichigo's bedroom, seated on the bed. Shinji had his legs crossed Indian-style and Ichigo sat with his back against the headboard, legs pulled up to his chest.

"Shinji, don't be stupid!" he snapped.

"Well, how else would you explain what's been happening these past two days? You don't remember being at Hueco Mundo, _but I saw you!_ And you've already admitted that you were lying about being jumped on your way to the store! Ichigo, I think you should at least accept the possibility that you may have a dual personality," Shinji said way too happily.

Ichigo glared daggers at the bed. _A dual personality? Was that why he hadn't remembered anything upon waking up in the morning? But why now?_ He was so confused and even more determined to get to the bottom of things; tomorrow after class, he was going straight to Urahara.

Suddenly a loud crash sounded from the living room, followed by a colorful curse. Ichigo looked at Shinji, whose eyes were just as wide as his.

"What the fuck?" Ichigo breathed.

There were now voices coming from the living room and his heart was sitting in his mouth.

Ichigo eased to his closet and dug around, looking for the wooden souvenir baseball bat Karin had given him for his birthday a few years ago.

"Ah-hah!" He whispered upon retrieving the bat from the back of the closet.

He headed for the bedroom door, Shinji clinging to the back of his t-shirt. They crept down the short hallway, listening avidly to the voices coming from the living room, where Ichigo could see light spilling from the doorway.

"You think he'll mind?" a soft, feminine voice asked.

"It's just a glass candy dish, Nel."

"I know that! I'm talking about just walking in here like this. You don't think he'll be upset?"

"Che, who cares?"

"Would the two of you please be quiet? I have a headache."

"Oh. My. God. Ichigo, that's Starrk!" Shinji whispered frantically.

Ichigo looked over his shoulder and frowned. "Who the fuck is Starrk and why the fuck is he in my house?" he whispered back. "Never mind, I'll ask him myself!"

Ichigo was pissed. _Who the hell did these people think they were, waltzing in his house and breaking his shit?_ Ichigo rounded the corner into the living room, holding the bat poised to swing, but he certainly hadn't been prepared for the room full of people looking at him like he was crazy.

A green-haired woman stepped forward with an eyebrow raised and a tentative smile. "Hey, Shiro. We're here to see you get your tattoo, remember?" she chirped.

Ichigo frowned and shook his head. _Did they break into the wrong house or something?_ "Who the fuck are you people, and why the fuck are you in my house? And who the fuck is Shiro?" Ichigo asked raising the bat a little higher.

Everyone in the room just stared at Ichigo as if he'd grown a second head. The green-haired woman looked puzzled. "What are you talking about? Shiro is you."


	6. Shiro

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"What the fuck did you just say?" he snarled.

His brother fidgeted uncomfortably before speaking again. "L-Luppi is dead. H-his body was found in the river this morning. He'd been shot, execution style."

He gasped, turned his back to his brother and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, fighting the moisture stinging his eyes. _They would go this far? First they stripped Luppi of the position he had been so proud of, and then...then they killed him? How dare they?_ He swallowed back the bile rising in his throat, trying desperately to regain his composure. He wouldn't do this in front of his brother. He would mourn his lover later. In the meantime...

"This is unacceptable, you do know this, don't you?" he asked as he turned to face his brother once more. His brother merely nodded. "I didn't think it would come to this, but they're forcing my hand. Make the necessary arrangements. I don't care how you do it or what city you sign with, I will fight the new Sexta Espada. He will die for his part in Luppi's humiliation," he said, sheer rage replacing the grief that had begun to consume him.

"Sharp, are you sure you-"

" _I won't sit back and do nothing after what they did to Luppi! I won't!_ " he bellowed.

"OK, OK, I'll do it!" his brother yelped raising his hands in surrender.

He waited until his brother hurried from the room to collapse into the plush office chair. Burying his face in his hands, frustration, anger, hurt and grief spilled from his eyes. Why hadn't Luppi told him he was in danger?

When he'd first started seeing Luppi a year ago, everything had been fine. They had been happy and making plans for the future. Then Luppi told him he'd been demoted and everything changed. Luppi became withdrawn, bitter and angry and he'd had no idea how to reach him, until Luppi had come to him complaining of "Aizen's little bitch" harassing him, and of some new guy that had taken his spot. Then Luppi had taken off, leaving him a note saying he was going to Okinawa for a few days to visit family. He hadn't thought twice about it because Luppi was unpredictable that way. Now his brother was telling him that Luppi was dead.

He clenched his eyes shut and ground his teeth together. There would be hell to pay. He was going to start with the small fry that had taken Luppi's Sexta title, and then work his way up to Aizen and his second-in-command. He still didn't have names and that little asshole Tesla had been stubborn to the end. He had no idea why no one knew the new Sexta's name. No one he could get close enough to anyway. He could understand why no one knew Aizen's second-in-command because the guy was like Aizen's shadow. Only those on the inside would know and Luppi had never told him.

Dammit, he still couldn't believe Luppi was dead. His heart felt like someone had reached into his chest and started squeezing unmercifully. They would all die.

XOXOXO

"Look, lady, no offense, but I think you've got the wrong person," Ichigo stated firmly.

"Shiro-" Nel started, thoroughly baffled.

"My. Name. Is. Ichigo."

Ichigo was beyond confused and it pissed him off. He had no idea who the fuck these people were, barging into his home and calling him "Shiro".

A tall, skinny man leaning against the wall, snickered. "Well, that's appropriate," he commented.

That wasn't funny. The prick.

"OI! FUCK YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" Ichigo yelled, beside himself with anger, but the tall guy just cackled.

"Figures ya'd pick up a crazy one, Szayel," tall man continued.

"How was I to know he came with issues?" an injured pink-haired man snapped. He had several bruises on his face, a black eye and a split lip.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ichigo squeaked. He felt himself feeling faint as his grip on the bat weakened.

"Shinji?" a dark-haired man with gray eyes inquired.

Ichigo stared as Shinji flushed and nodded his head in acknowledgment. What the? How did Shinji know this guy? Was that the "Starrk" person he was talking about?

"Shinji, you know these people?" Ichigo asked incredulously as Shinji rolled his eyes.

"Ichi, I told you that you were with the Espada last night at Hueco Mundo. These people are the Espada," he explained as if he was speaking to a three year old. Ichigo bared his teeth as he lowered the bat.

"And I told you that I have no idea what the fuck any of that is, remember? I go to sleep, and wake up fucked up! Ring any bells?" Ichigo was furious. Someone had better start explaining, and fast, before he started destroying shit.

"I don't understand," the green-haired woman said softly looking just as bewildered as Ichigo felt.

"What is there _not_ to understand, Nel? It seems like there are two of them in there and we have only met one," the pink-haired man said as he moved forward. Ichigo dropped the bat and assumed a defensive stance. Pink hair paused and the tall man roared with laughter.

"What ya waiting for, Szayel?" tall man chuckled.

"Fuck you!" pink hair snapped and tall man just laughed even harder.

"Ichi, maybe you should listen to them. They can tell you more than I can," Shinji prodded.

Ichigo stared at the diverse group gathered in his living room. There was the really tall guy, the green-haired lady, a huge man with braids, a green-eyed guy, a fierce-looking chick with blonde hair, an older guy with a crown tattooed under his eye, the man with gray eyes that had spoken to Shinji earlier, the injured pink-haired guy, a dude with hair the same color as Renji's and...oh...oh wow...

Ichigo's eyes met a pair of startlingly blue ones that watched him carefully. Holy shit. Suddenly, Ichigo's mouth felt as dry as a bone and his heart began to race. His palms got all sweaty and he felt like all the air in his lungs had disappeared without a trace as he observed the owner of those captivating blue eyes. Blue hair, muscular but not obscenely so, and an enticing-looking mouth - wait, what? What the hell was he just thinking?

"So, you're all here for what? And why does she keep calling me Shiro?" Ichigo asked, pointing at Nel.

Pink Hair stepped forward again but this time much more slowly. "Two nights ago I saw you fighting off two men and since I had already been asked to find a new recruit for the Espada, I chose you. Last night, my brother and I approached you with our boss's offer and you accompanied us to Hueco Mundo for further details. Once there-"

"OK, stop!" Ichigo interrupted, holding up a hand. "What the hell is Hueco Mundo and Espada?"

Pink Hair sighed and adjusted his glasses agitatedly. "Hueco Mundo is where Japan's underground fighting arena gathers to compete for money and bragging rights. The Espada is a group of ten fighters that represent Karakura, and as of last night, that includes you. Or rather, the one named Shiro."

Ichigo stared blankly at the pink-haired man, trying desperately to form coherent thoughts. None of this shit made any sense! Ichigo glanced at Shinji and found that he looked just as stunned as Ichigo did. Why? Hadn't Shinji been the one to first tell him about all of this? Ichigo huffed and turned back to pink hair.

"So that's it? You saw me fight and I was instantly accepted?" Ichigo asked, still a bit confused.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Pink Hair said stiffly. Tall guy started cackling again and Ichigo noticed pink hair going red in the face.

"Something tells me there's more to it than that," Ichigo dead-panned.

"You were brought to Hueco Mundo and introduced to the boss and a couple of us here. You had to prove you were worthy enough to fill the position you'd been chosen for. In order to do _that_ , you had to fight Szayel," the green-haired lady explained.

"So who's Szayel?" Ichigo asked and tall man snickered.

"Would you please shut the fuck up, Nnoitra?" Pink Hair snapped, and suddenly, things made a lot more sense.

"Ohhhhh, you're Szayel. So, I did that to you, huh?" Ichigo asked, trying not to smile and feeling oddly proud of his handiwork.

Szayel shot him a death glare. "The one named Shiro did this, not you, so you can wipe that smug look off of your face!"

"Ara! Touchy!" Ichigo said and held his hands up in a gesture of peace, smirking at the anger rolling off of Szayel. "So, I kicked your ass and now I'm an Espada? Hm."

"I-Ichi, you don't seem very upset about this," Shinji uttered nervously.

Ichigo shrugged. "Should I be? I mean, now that everything's been explained, it actually doesn't sound that bad. At least now I know where all the cuts and bruises and shit came from," he said.

Ichigo thought it over. He did need a job and this way it wouldn't interfere with his classes. Besides, Ichigo liked to fight, he just hadn't had a reason to since he'd graduated from Seireitei. Not to mention, his main worry had been alleviated: he now knew what had been going on when he woke up all messed up. Ichigo wasn't crazy after all, he was just...different. OK, maybe he was more than different, but there were worse things than having another personality...right?

"O-oi, you sound like you're actually considering doing this."

Shinji's eyes looked panicked and Ichigo shrugged again. "I could use the money, Shinji."

"But what about school? What if Isshin finds out?"

Ichigo studied Shinji for a moment. Shinji's face was twisted in horror and he was wringing his hands. It was really pretty hilarious seeing his usually calm and carefree friend looking so worried. "Are you going to tell anyone?" Ichigo asked.

This seemed to bring Shinji out of his desperation quite rapidly. "What the fuck am I, a rat?" he snapped angrily.

Ichigo smiled reassuringly. "No, that's why I trust you, and anyway, doesn't all this occur at night?" he asked, looking at the green-haired lady.

She was positively beaming as she nodded. "Yep, all of the fights take place at night," she chirped.

"So, that's better for me. I can go to class and get any homework done before I have to go. This way, even if I do turn into...erm...Shiro, at least I'll know what's going on," Ichigo explained before something occurred to him. "That reminds me, what position am I taking and, er, I guess I should know your names or something. Oh, and why you broke into my fucking apartment would also be nice."

"Ahh! I can do that! My name is Neliel Tu Odershvank, but just call me Nel!" The green-haired lady exclaimed, practically bursting with excitement and Ichigo grinned and nodded. She reminded him of Yuzu.

"Yammy Riyalgo, Decimo Espada," the extremely large man with the braids stated with a friendly grin.

"Decimo? So, number ten?" Ichigo asked, to be sure.

Nel brightened even further as she nodded. "Wow! Shiro didn't know the numbers at all!" she laughed and Ichigo blushed, hoping that this Shiro wasn't an idiot.

"Aaroniero Arruruerie, Noveno Espada," a soft but firm tenor broke through Nel's giggles, making the room fall eerily silent as everyone gaped at the man with the bright red hair and solemn burgundy eyes.

"Well damn! I haven't heard him speak in like four months," tall man exclaimed. "Nice to know yer voice still works, Yero." Said man only nodded.

"Szayel Aporro Grantz, Octavo Espada," Pink Hair enunciated making Ichigo smirk. Szayel still seemed a bit perturbed.

"Your position is next, Shi – I mean, Ichigo. Septima Espada," Nel pointed out.

Ichigo nodded. So, he was number seven. Not too bad. Engrossed in his thoughts, he was jerked back to reality by a gruff, baritone that sent shivers skittering down his spine.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Sexta Espada," Blue Hair introduced himself.

Ichigo's heart suddenly decided that now was a good time to river dance. Why the hell did this guy affect him like that? It was disturbing. Ichigo unconsciously licked his lips and nodded then was stunned as realization jumped on his back for a ride. He was attracted to a man? Impossible. But then, why did all the fine hairs of his neck and arms stand at attention whenever he met that intense blue gaze? Shit.

"Nnoitra Jiruga, Quinto Espada," tall man said with a sinister smile, like he knew something he wasn't supposed to. Ichigo frowned. Guy was weird.

"Ulquiorra Schiffer, Cuarto Espada," a small, dark-haired, green-eyed man monotoned, making Ichigo think the man could at least _try_ to look interested.

"Tia Halibel, but call me Halibel. Tercero Espada."

That came from the blonde chick that looked like she was capable of breaking men in half with her bare hands. Ichigo made a note to stay far away from her if he could help it.

"Barragan Luisenbarn, Segundo," the older man with the crown tattoo drawled as he chewed on a toothpick.

"Starrk Coyote, Primero Espada. Also your friend Shinji's boss," the brown-haired, gray-eyed man claimed with a small smirk. Well, that explained that.

Ichigo surveyed the group of fighters and nodded. He was kind of looking forward to being an Espada, but that still left one thing.

"OK, so why did you break into my damned apartment? Surely _one_ of you knows how to knock," Ichigo stated, voice dripping sarcasm like a leaky faucet.

"I told you he'd be upset," Nel accused glaring at Nnoitra.

"Che, like I give a shit. I didn't feel like waiting."

"You owe me a candy dish," Ichigo said petulantly and Nnoitra snorted as he stared in the vicinity of Ichigo's mouth making him feel somewhat uncomfortable, but not enough to show it.

"Like hell I do."

"You need your rank tattoo," Starrk spoke up.

Ichigo's eyes widened and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn't quite find the words. "T-tattoo? Um, but, where?" he finally stuttered.

Starrk smiled. "That, my friend, is up to you. First tattoo?"

Ichigo nodded. "I've always wanted one but I could never decide what to get."

"Oi, open your mouth," Nnoitra commanded as he stalked towards Ichigo, making Ichigo shrink back, scowling.

"Why?"

"Just fuckin' do it," Nnoitra growled.

"Hell no," Ichigo snapped, but Nnoitra lunged before he could react, hooking him in a headlock.

"Ahh! Ichigo!" Shinji cried and jumped forward to interfere, but was held back by a smiling Starrk. "What the hell?"

"He's not gonna hurt him," Starrk answered calmly.

Ichigo struggled against the tall bastard, but he was pretty fucking strong to be so damned skinny. He held Ichigo still with one wiry arm and used his free hand to pry Ichigo's jaw open. Ichigo fought and tried to bite the asshole, he really did, but like he said, Nnoitra was strong and he already had an advantage over him with the headlock.

"Ah-ha!" Nnoitra cried and immediately let Ichigo loose causing him to fall on his ass.

Ichigo leaned back on his hands and glared at Nnoitra, who was currently leering at him. Ichigo hadn't wanted anyone to find out about that and now this creep was about to expose his hard-kept secret.

Nnoitra grinned lecherously at Ichigo. "Ya got yer tongue pierced," he said slowly.

Ichigo sighed angrily when he heard Shinji's surprised squeak. "It was kind of confidential, you asshole," he snarled.

"What. The. Fuck. Ichi! When did you-I wanna see! How come I never noticed?" Shinji spluttered, obviously not knowing where to begin.

"Coz he's got the flesh-colored one, so it blends in with his tongue. Ha! Never woulda thought ya had it in ya, kid," Nnoitra exclaimed, sounding for all the world like a proud father.

Ichigo scowled, but then jerked back in surprise when Shinji straddled his lap and gripped Ichigo's jaw in his hand.

"Open," Shinji commanded and Ichigo instantly obeyed. Hell, the look on Shinji's face was pretty fucking scary. "I can't believe I didn't notice this. I mean, we've been friends for a while and I can always tell when you're hiding something. First Renji with Byakuya, now you have a fucking tongue ring. How long?" Shinji murmured absently, studying the piercing before Ichigo closed his mouth.

"A year," Ichigo answered sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Fuuuuck, I'm losing my touch," Shinji groaned.

"Well, as...entertaining...as this is, there's still the matter of where you want your tattoo," Starrk interjected.

That was when Ichigo realized how precarious the situation was with Shinji seated comfortably in his lap. Ichigo flushed and prodded Shinji's chest.

"Move," he ordered and Shinji slid away from him and made himself comfortable on the floor beside the couch.

Ichigo stayed where he was as he contemplated a location for the number seven he was going to receive. At first he considered the inside of his right forearm, but with the profession he'd chosen, that wouldn't be a good plan. Then an idea formed in his mind and refused to budge.

"I've got an idea," he said with a small smile.

XOXOXO

So, Grimmjow had a headache from the myriad of emotions he'd just experienced. First, there was confusion after seeing the kid with a baseball bat in his hands, demanding to know who they were. Then, there was amusement at the Szayel situation. That had been fucking classic. Next, he had surprise up at bat from the way the kid just accepted everything and rolled with the punches like nothing could faze him.

Then came the most prominent one. Pure animalistic lust. Grimmjow had been at a loss for words once he took a closer look at the kid. There was a distinct difference between the kid Ichigo and the kid Shiro. Shiro was wild and in your face aggressive, all about fighting. Ichigo...hm...where should he start? OK, let's start there.

Ichigo was aggressive, yeah, but he was also laid-back. He was adventurous and yet sensible at the same time. Make sense? Now came the hard-to-swallow part. Ichigo was fucking sexy. From his soft, nut-brown eyes, strong but slender frame, to the very way he moved: it all caused Grimmjow to quiver with excitement. Not to mention, that utterly erotic display he put on with the little blond a minute ago, and that god-forsaken tongue ring. Grimmjow shuddered.

Normally, he would be repulsed by the idea of a man with a tongue piercing, i.e. Nnoitra, but on Ichigo it was just hot. Shit, Grimmjow thought everything about the kid was hot and now he was struggling ferociously with repressing a monstrous erection. Ichigo was currently lying on his back, shirtless, with Starrk tattooing a seven around his navel, below a small cluster of bruises. Grimmjow was having a hard time not drooling at the sight of that toned expanse of tanned skin.

Oh, and as if that weren't enough, he now had Nnoitra breathing down his fucking neck, and Grimmjow was just waiting for the inevitable "told ya so". A soft, breathy chuckle drew Grimmjow from his reverie.

"That kind of tickles," Ichigo sighed with a devastating smile. Grimmjow had to stifle a groan. Shit, if the kid kept that up he was certain he would come in his pants.

"I do believe he's sprung, ladies 'n gentlemen," Nnoitra commented softly, without looking at Grimmjow.

Grimmjow growled lowly and ignored Nnoitra's bait. He wouldn't fall for that shit. Thankfully, Nnoitra was silent for the rest of Ichigo's initiation process, leaving Grimmjow to his dirty thoughts of the sexy youngster.

XOXOXO

Next Day

"Urahara Shoten, how may I be of service?" an overly cheerful voice sang over the phone, making Ichigo roll his eyes.

"I'll be at your place in five minutes. I need to talk to you," Ichigo said, cutting to the chase.

"Ichigo?" Urahara asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"My my, it's been three years since we last spoke and this is how you greet me?"

"Can it, I'll be there soon, so you can nag me then," Ichigo replied in a bored tone.

"Fine, fine."

Ichigo and Shinji were headed towards Urahara's shop after their classes had finished for the day, Ichigo having agreed to let Shinji tag along. He knew that Shinji was curious as to why he was going to see the shopkeeper, but that was only because Shinji didn't know that Urahara was a retired psychotherapist and also Isshin's friend.

Kisuke Urahara was a strange man, from the wooden sandals and weird hat he wore, down to the paper fan he never seemed to be without. Not to mention his crazy as hell wife, Yoruichi. Ichigo cringed at the memories of the brown-skinned, deep violet-haired devil and her embarrassing lectures on sex.

Although Urahara was weird, Ichigo remembered his old man telling him that Urahara had been good at his job, and that his quirks worked in his favor, which is why Ichigo trusted the man to be able to help him with this "Shiro" situation.

They arrived at Urahara Shoten and stepped into the dimly lit front room. Ichigo was looking around for the strange man, bouts of nostalgia threatening to overwhelm him, when suddenly, Urahara appeared at Ichigo's right elbow, wearing a mysterious grin and causing Ichigo to damn near jump out of his skin, barely suppressing what was sure to be an embarrassing scream. Shinji wasn't so lucky, as his scream was enough to wake the dead.

"The fuck did he come from?" Shinji asked holding his hand over his heart and trying to bring his voice back down to normal levels.

Urahara smiled and whipped out his trusty fan, while Ichigo shook his head. "Why do you always have that thing?" Ichigo asked, making a grab for it.

Urahara deftly stepped out of the way and tapped Ichigo in the forehead with the closed fan. "Now, now, none of that. Why don't you tell me what you're here for, Kurosaki-kun," Urahara replied as he re-opened the fan and held it up, shielding half of his face.

"Can we go somewhere and sit down? This might take a while," Ichigo suggested and Urahara immediately nodded.

"Of course," he answered and led them into a back room. "You can sit down while-"

"I got it, Kisuke," Yoruichi said as she stepped through the door carrying a tea tray with several cups. "Ahh, Ichi-chan! Look how you've grown! Are you still a virgin?"

"Yoruichi-san!" Ichigo reprimanded, his face resembling a ripe tomato. Yoruichi giggled and set the tea tray onto a small table while Shinji cackled, sounding dangerously similar to that Nnoitra guy.

"I'm sorry, Ichi-chan, you're just so fun to tease."

"Yoruichi-san, please don't call me that," Ichigo muttered sullenly.

"Fine, I'm going," she said and reluctantly left the room, sliding the door shut.

"Urahara, what I tell you stays here, are we understood?" Ichigo demanded.

Urahara nodded, his fan waving back and forth. "Of course, Ichigo, I'm aw-"

"That means you can't tell my dad either."

The fan paused but continued immediately after. "I see. I understand," Urahara stated solemnly.

"OK. Well see, the thing is-" Ichigo paused to take a deep breath before hurriedly continuing. "I think I may have another personality. I've gone to sleep and woken up the next morning with cuts and bruises and no recollection of how they occurred. Then Shinji told me he saw me somewhere that I absolutely don't remember being and some of my other, er, friends claimed I had come to them, calling myself Shiro."

By now, Urahara's fan had completely stopped moving, and he studied Ichigo carefully as if the solution lay somewhere on his face. "I see. How many times has this happened?" he questioned.

"Twice."

Urahara was silent for several minutes and Ichigo began to get nervous. Was it that bad? "This case is strange indeed. Most people with Multiple Personality Disorder aren't aware that they have it, but you seem to have had help in that area. I'm not sure what you're asking of me, Kurosaki-kun," the older blond carefully explained.

" _I'm_ not even sure what I'm asking. Maybe – is there a way to get rid of the other personality?" Ichigo asked.

"There may be a way to _combine_ personalities, but that takes years of treatment. However, I may be able to draw it out to see if it truly exists."

"What do you mean, 'draw it out'?" Ichigo didn't really like they way that sounded.

"Well, Kurosaki-kun, have you heard of hypnosis?" Urahara asked with a deadly serious face.

Ichigo glanced at Shinji, who glanced at Ichigo, and they both burst into fits of laughter. Was Urahara fucking serious? Hypnosis?

"Urahara, are you serious?" Ichigo voiced his mind's question.

Urahara smiled. "Quite."

"You mean the you're-getting-very-sleepy kind of hypnosis?" Shinji asked, still snickering.

"Aaahhh, I see. That kind of hypnosis is false. I can assure you when one is hypnotized, they are awake and aware. It's more a form of relaxed concentration; for example, daydreaming. I can help Kurosaki-kun induce an Alpha state, or rather a light hypnotic trance. Just like playing video games. Although one may be concentrating on the video game, one is still able to answer the phone or answer questions, ne?" Urahara enlightened.

Ichigo just stared at Urahara in disbelief. He was really serious. If Urahara was serious then he was definitely telling the truth, and if he was telling the truth, then Ichigo would listen. Hell, he was willing to do anything if it meant getting rid of this supposed "Shiro" character because he really didn't like losing chunks of his time and memory.

"What do I do then?" he asked hesitantly. Shit, he was still nervous though.

Urahara smiled. "All you have to do is want to be hypnotized and trust me."

"Ichi, I dont know," Shinji interjected.

Ichigo could understand his friend's feelings but he was desperate. "I have to try something, Shinji. Urahara, how does this work?"

"Why don't I show you?"

Ichigo nodded as Urahara stood and gestured for them to follow him to another room that held a couple of futons on the floor. He knelt beside one and waved Ichigo over. "Lie down, please," he said softly and after a moment's hesitation Ichigo obeyed.

With Ichigo lying on the futon and Shinji kneeling beside him, Urahara closed his fan and tucked it into the sleeve of his kimono. "Well, Kurosaki-kun, are you ready to be hypnotized?" Shinji giggled, but Ichigo nodded soberly. "Alright close your eyes and relax your body."

Ichigo did as he was told, or rather he tried to, but his body refused to loosen up. How was he supposed to relax when he was so keyed up?

"Kurosaki-kun, imagine that you have just arrived home after a long day, and you're finally able to wind down," Urahara suggested, his voice a soothing rumble.

Ichigo saw himself showering after a full day of classes and several hours of doing homework, then staggering into his room to collapse on his bed. He didn't even notice when his muscles finally went lax.

"Now begin counting backwards from 100. Out loud if you please," Urahara continued.

"100...99...98...97...96...95...94...93...92..." Ichigo counted.

"If he's going to be awake, why did you make him close his eyes?" Shinji whispered.

"Would you be comfortable looking at an unblinking person for an indefinite amount of time?" Urahara asked with a grin.

"Ah, yeah, that would be creepy. So what happens now?"

"He will eventually stop counting and enter a light hypnotic trance, then I can suggest that I meet, uh, Shiro did he say?" Shinji nodded and continued watching Ichigo count.

"71...70...69...68..."

Ichigo felt really good, like he was vegging out on his couch in his underwear, letting the TV watch him. Even though he could hear what was going on around him, he wasn't really paying attention. Ichigo managed to reach fifty-nine, when he suddenly started seeing buildings that were horizontal instead of vertical, and a clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds rolling by. What the fuck was this?

Perched on the corner of one of the buildings was a guy with his back facing Ichigo and his legs hanging over the side of the strange structure. From what Ichigo could see, the guy was wearing an all white karate gi (uniform) with a black sash and had...white hair?

Ichigo slowly approached him wondering where this place was. Figuring he'd get some answers, he crouched to the man's level and lay a hand on his shoulder. The man whipped around as if he'd been startled and Ichigo fell back on his ass in shock. His eyes! What the hell?

"King?" the man asked, those eyes wide with disbelief.

Ichigo still couldn't get past them. "Wh-what the hell are you?" he finally managed.

The guy's smile was so big all of his other features nearly disappeared. "Finally!" he said and scooted closer to Ichigo, but Ichigo scuttled backwards away from him. "Awww, c'mon King! I ain't gonna hurt ya!"

"Why the hell are you calling me that?" Ichigo demanded.

"Coz that's who ya are! I'm only here ta help. Well, I was."

Ichigo didn't know what the hell was going on anymore. He had no clue where he was and who this...speaking of which, was this guy even a person? He had white hair and his eyes were spooking the hell out of Ichigo. The sclera was black where normal people's was white, and his irises were a bright gold.

"OK, please, explain to me who the fuck you are and where the hell we are!"

Ichigo was irate. The last thing he remembered was counting backwards from one hundred in Urahara's shop under the guise of being hypnotized, and the next thing he knew, he was here. He needed answers and he needed them like yesterday.

"Ya oughta know the answer ta that. After all, yer the one that made me."

Ichigo scowled deeply. "Pretend I don't know what you're talking about," he said dryly.

"Well, since I could never communicate with ya before, I gave mahself a name. Care ta guess?" the guy's grin was devouring his face and Ichigo finally understood.

"Shiro?"

The guy showed what seemed like every one of his teeth with his next smile. "That's it," he said gently, his expression softening although the wide grin was still present.

"So you really do exist."

"Of course! I've got you to thank for that too. Since ya fought that piece 'o shit Gin, we've been together. Only, I live here in this world that ya made for me."

Say what? Why couldn't Ichigo remember any of that? Surely he would be able to recall creating a whole different personality and giving him a place to live like a pet, right?

"Why can't I remember that?" Ichigo asked.

Shiro rubbed his chin in thought before responding. "Here's the deal. Ya kinda lost touch with reality when ya fought that squinty-eyed shit 'coz at that age ya were squeamish 'bout fightin'. Course ya still had the desire ta defend yerself and I guess that's where I came in."

"Like a defense mechanism?"

"Yeah, jus' like that! Ya figured since it wasn't "yer regular self" fightin', it wasn' wrong. Truth be told I was worried 'bout ya. So angry an' sad all the time, it wasn't healthy, so all the fights ya had in middle school was me takin' care 'o ya, 'til ya went to Seireitei. Then ya learned to fight on yer own and ya made some friends. Ya didn't really need me anymore. Sometimes though, ya'd get crazy excited durin' a spar or tournament an' lose yerself, letting me out a little. Those were fun times. Then ya graduated and forgot about me. Every time ya had the urge ta fight er somethin' ya would ignore it, but I need an outlet sometime or else I gotta force one."

Ichigo really had no clue how to respond to that. Shiro had been created by him, evolved into an individual personality somewhere down the line, and had been with him since middle school. How could all of that have happened without him remembering? It was true that his middle school fights were hazy, though. Ichigo looked timidly at Shiro and asked him the question he'd been wanting to ask since first laying eyes on him.

"So, why do you look like that? Do you look like that when you're, uh, using my body?"

Shiro raised an eyebrow and grinned hugely. "Baaaaka, ya watch too much anime. Course not! It's yer body! I only look like this here 'coz this is how ya made me."

"Oh."

Ichigo felt like a moron. Of course he didn't look like that while using his body, or else Shinji wouldn't have recognized him at Hueco Mundo. Ah! Speaking of which... "So, care to tell me how you planned to make that whole Hueco Mundo Espada thing work without my knowledge? Or were you just gonna sit back and watch me slowly lose my mind?" Ichigo fumed as Shiro winced. Well, at least he had the decency to feel bad about it.

"I really tried ta talk ta ya 'bout it, but fer some reason, I just couldn't, even though ya'd be right there. If I tried ta touch ya, my hands would go right through ya like we were ghosts or somethin'. By the way, how are ya able ta talk ta me now?" Shiro asked, tilting his head to the left curiously.

"I was supposedly being hypnotized. Guess it worked."

"Ichi! Ichi, wake your ass up!" Shinji's panicked voice sounded so far away.

"Looks like ya gotta go," Shiro stated sounding strangely disappointed. "Maybe we can talk some more another time, yeah?"

Ichigo nodded as he stood, and with one last look at Shiro, started walking away. The buildings and sky began to fade and Ichigo slowly opened his eyes to see Shinji hovering over him looking extremely frightened.

"Oh my god, Ichi, you had us so worried!" Shinji cried.

Ichigo looked around to see Urahara kneeling beside him with an intense look that just did not suit the cheerful man's face. "What happened? Did it work?"

"Well, Kurosaki-kun, in the beginning you were responsive, but once you stopped counting, I could no longer reach you. It was very strange," Urahara said quietly.

"I saw him. I spoke to him too," Ichigo muttered and Urahara leaned forward.

"And?"

"Let's just say he's not dangerous, and he told me what I need to do to keep him from using my body. I think I'll let him stick around for now, though."


	7. Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you that don't know, this is the first story I've ever shared with FFnet. I wrote it back around August of 2010. It's making me wildly nostalgic reading it and experiencing the scenes again. I hope it does the same for you!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**One Week Later**

They had been arguing. Over what, he couldn't even remember, but it must have been heated because he had the shorter man pressed to the wall with a hand wrapped around his throat, lips pulled into a snarl and faces mere millimeters apart. The younger man's eyes were spitting fire and he had both hands trying to pry away the one currently blocking his air supply. The tension was thick enough to slice with a plastic butter knife.

Then the entire atmosphere dissolved when the red head's expression softened and he lifted a hand to grasp the back of his head, pulling him forward into a feather-soft kiss. His head felt as though it were spinning like a top and before he knew it, the hand gripping the red head's throat slid around to the nape of his neck, long fingers plowing through soft orange spikes as the kiss deepened.

The red head let go a soft moan and parted his lips to pass a warm, wet tongue across the seam of his lips. Wasting no time, he opened his mouth to the searching tongue, and the red head's unique flavor filled his senses and threatened to overwhelm him. The younger man tasted like cinnamon flavored gum and a distinct something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Using his free hand, he gripped the red head's slim hip and pressed their bodies closer together, causing as much friction as possible.

God, it felt almost _too_ good. The red head's hands were everywhere, roaming his chest, abdomen, back and arms, to finally rest at his waist. Without warning, he felt himself pressed against the wall and the red head's lips and tongue sliding over his jaw, up to the shell of his ear where the red head nipped and gently tugged on the lobe. A strangled moan found it's way from deep in his throat as he tightened his hold on the younger man's hip.

It was torture of the best sort the way the red head edged lower to his throat, nibbling, licking and sucking his Adam's apple, and then catching his teeth in his shirt collar as deft hands slipped underneath the hem of his shirt to caress his hard stomach and chest.

He growled deeply when his shirt was lifted over his head and the hands roaming his torso were replaced with a slick tongue and soft lips. It felt like all the blood in his body had decided to pool in his groin, making him lightheaded and giddy. The red head teased his sensitive nipples, first nipping, then soothingly licking and sucking until they were hard.

He hadn't even felt the fingers undoing his belt and jeans, until a warm hand slipped inside his boxers to wrap around his throbbing length, while the other hand pushed the clothes down to his knees. He grunted and thrust his hips forward encouraging the red head's sultry movements. The red head chuckled softly before swooping in for another sloppy kiss.

When the red head cupped his testicles and stroked his dick with added pressure, his whole body jerked. He pulled the red head closer, burying his face into his neck as he inhaled his delicious scent before licking and sucking hard enough to leave a mark. He heard the red head moan and tried to undo the younger man's pants, but was pushed away with a coy smile as the red head began lowering himself to his knees, licking and kissing his chest and abdomen on the way down.

His head was practically swimming when the red head nuzzled his stiff length against his cheek, gripping it at the base before leaning back and sticking his pierced tongue out to taste him...

Grimmjow was jerked awake when a loud banging threatened to damn near break his front door in two. He sucked his teeth as he shoved his blankets away and rolled out of bed. Figured he'd wake up as soon as the shit got good. At any rate, whoever was at his door was about to get an eyeful because he was still hard as a steel post and frankly, he didn't give a shit.

He threw the door open and frowned at seeing Nel standing in the doorway. What the hell? Grimmjow stepped back to let her in and remembered the problem in his boxers. Shit.

"Yo," he greeted as he plopped down on the couch and discreetly pulled a throw pillow into his lap.

"Ulqui asked me to tell you that you have an appointment tonight."

Grimmjow noticed Nel's face was drawn and she was fidgeting. "What's the problem?"

"Well, it's just that...Grimm, the guy that you're facing was really relentless about fighting you and _only you_. Ulqui tried to match him with Ichigo as his debut, but the guy made a big fuss. Don't you think that's strange?" she asked, her wide, wheat-gray eyes beseeching.

Grimmjow shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't give a shit. I never do. Guy wants to fight me, then he'll fight me. Why he wants to doesn't matter, 'cuz in the end it's still just a fight."

"You're going to get yourself killed with an attitude like that," Nel murmured, taking a seat next to him.

"Why you so worried 'bout what happens to me anyway?" He didn't understand why Nel was taking this so personally. They weren't _that_ close.

"Because dummy, I feel responsible for you. I brought you into this and if you get-"

"Well, see that's yer problem right there. You ain't my keeper, Nel. Even if ya didn't bring me into this, I still woulda been fightin' and gettin' into all kinds a'trouble. You don't need to feel responsible for me because I can damn sure take care of myself."

Nel sighed deeply and stood, making her way to the door. Thankfully, Grimmjow's erection had made itself scarce, so he was able to follow her without embarrassing himself. After opening the door, Nel stepped through but paused in the hallway.

"Just, try to be careful tonight, OK? Something about this guy doesn't sit well with me," she said softly, a perplexed expression settling across her features, but...yeah...Grimmjow just didn't do careful.

"You know better'n that," he said.

Nel just sighed and nodded. Grimmjow watched as she made her way down the hall to the elevators before he closed the door and padded back to the couch. What the fuck was that all about?

XOXOXO

Ichigo was sweating like a pig and breathing like a felled moose. His body ached in ways he hadn't felt since his days at Seireitei, which was understandable considering the harsh workout he'd just put himself through. God, he was completely out of shape.

Ichigo had just completed a rigorous menu of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, squats and weight-lifting. He'd had to borrow the weights from Chado, but his friend hadn't minded. After a short breather, he was going to go for a run; he needed to rebuild his stamina because he felt it severely lacking. This would have been considered a pussy work-out at Seireitei and Ichigo was thoroughly ashamed. Renji certainly wouldn't let him live it down to be seen damned near collapsing, or as Renji would probably say, "being such a fucking girl".

Speaking of "his assholishness", he hadn't seen or heard from Renji since the guy had confessed to being gay and in a relationship with Byakuya. Ichigo was happy for him, but he wondered about Renji's switch to the other team. He knew that Renji had been pining over Rukia for as long as he'd known him, so what had changed that? Had Renji freaked out?

Ichigo face-palmed. Why the hell did he care how Renji had reacted to liking a guy? That wasn't any of his business, and he should just be happy that Renji was happy.

Ichigo heard a soft chuckle and whipped his head around, searching for the source. What the hell was that? His eyes slowly scanned the living room and found nothing, so he started towards the kitchen. Maybe he was hearing things.

'Oh, this is too good!'

Ichigo stood rooted to the spot, fear enveloping him like a high wave in an ocean. He was sure he'd just heard someone speaking. Ichigo inched his head around and glanced over his shoulder, almost fearing what he would see. His heart had seen fit to take up lodgings in his throat and was currently tap-dancing its way into his mouth.

"What the fuck?" he murmured into the emptiness of the living room.

_Hell, the TV was off so it couldn't be that._

'Calm down, King, it's jus' me,' the voice came again.

Ichigo was teetering dangerously on the brink of insanity when he noticed something. "You said King. Shiro?" he questioned.

'Yo.'

"How's this possible? I thought-"

'Don't worry, yer the only one can hear me since I exist in yer mind.'

"But how's this possible?" Ichigo stressed.

'Not really sure, but it might be from that hypno-somethin' ya did before.'

Ichigo moved back into the living room after grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, and plopped onto the couch. Knowing the guy existed was one thing, but hearing him in his head was an entirely different ball game. He really didn't know what to think of it.

'S'not so bad, King,' Shiro soothed and Ichigo snorted derisively.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one talking to himself."

Shiro laughed and the sound was strangely contagious, making Ichigo smile. 'Ya know, ya don't have ta talk out loud. I can hear what yer thinkin'.'

Ichigo let the implications of that statement settle and before he knew it, his face was inflamed. Embarrassing! That meant Shiro had been there through his private moments in the shower, and more recently, his thoughts of a certain blue-haired Espada – Grimmjow wasn't it? Aw, man.

Shiro began howling with mirth and Ichigo scowled, imagining his white-haired look-alike doubled over and grasping his stomach. He must have seriously pissed someone off in his previous life to deserve this turn of events.

'I knew somethin' was off when I started thinkin' that blue-haired guy was hot. 'Sides, yer not exactly into females that way. Least not from what I c'n see,' Shiro stated matter-of-factly.

Ichigo froze and his eyes widened comically. What the _fuck_? Was that _true_? Ichigo tried to think back and remember if he'd ever had any crushes, but nothing came to mind. Come to think of it, he'd never really thought of girls or women like that. He didn't go ape-shit over tits and ass the way most men did. Oh, holy night. Was he...gay?

No. Just because he wasn't into women didn't mean he was into guys. But as if on cue, blue hair and blue eyes invaded his mind, making a complete mockery of him, and if that wasn't bad enough, Shiro was cackling like a fucking hyena.

"So he's hot, but so are some of the other Espada," Ichigo mumbled. Realizing what he'd just said, his heart came to a complete stop and his breath froze in his throat. Not only that, but the silence was acute and deafening...until Shiro was again laughing maniacally. "You're not fucking helping."

Shiro sobered up after a few more minutes of spastic chuckling and Ichigo's brooding. 'Sorry, King, yer jus' funny as shit sometimes.'

"Tch. Whatever."

'I don't see the problem,' Shiro said, suddenly sobering and making Ichigo blanch. 'Will bein' gay change ya?'

"I don't wanna talk about that right now."

Ichigo was flustered and really didn't want to talk about the very real possibility of him being attracted to his own gender. He ignored Shiro as he dressed in a pair of gray sweats, a black, pull-over hoodie and an old pair of running sneakers. Grabbing another bottle of water and his iPod, he headed out for a run, beginning by stretching.

Cranking the sound up to Three Days Grace's "Riot", Ichigo started off at a light trot. Buildings, houses and stores slid past as he gradually picked up the pace. He had forgotten how good running felt, and how it was a really good time to gather his scattered thoughts and try to piece them together.

So, he was attracted to men, huh? It felt strange even thinking that, but it probably should have occurred to him sooner. He didn't have a love life to speak of as Shinji so delightfully pointed out at the most inopportune moments. Ichigo had just never bothered to make much of an effort in that department.

Skillet's "Awake and Alive" pushed through the headphones and Ichigo started sprinting. Shit, so, what now? This was where things got a tad confusing. Ichigo wasn't about to just start hitting on men, whether he was attracted or not. Besides, how did one determine if another guy was interested? Fuck, this shit was hard.

'Only 'cuz yer makin' it that way,' Shiro said, no small amount of amusement lacing his voice.

'Yeah, well, excuse the hell outta me for being new to this. Mind you, I still gotta test this theory,' Ichigo responded silently.

Shiro didn't reply and Ichigo began slowing down before finally coming to a complete stop in front of a small convenience store almost on the other side of town. He would stop there for his cool down stretching and walk back home. Ichigo had barely raised his arms over his head to begin stretching, when he was interrupted.

"Yer Ichigo, right?"

The deep voice that had been plaguing his thoughts for the past week was suddenly right behind him.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he froze with his arms over his head, mid-stretch. He heard Shiro crowing gleefully and inwardly cursed before slowly turning to face the blue-haired Espada and gulping audibly.

Cornflower blue orbs gazed back at Ichigo, shining with amusement, a single brow raised. Ichigo couldn't keep himself from staring, even though he knew his face was probably all shades of red and he was pretty much making an ass of himself.

A very large, very masculine hand was suddenly held in front of Ichigo's face before the fingers snapped. Ichigo shook his head and focused on the man's face to see an almost concerned expression.

"Oi, you OK, kid?" the man asked.

Ichigo scowled and snapped out of his reverie. "I'm not a fucking kid."

Grimmjow smiled mischievously and shifted his weight to his left leg. Ichigo's insides melted at the sight, while he inwardly scolded himself for acting like a girl.

"Coulda fooled me."

Ichigo frowned and let his eyes roam the man standing before him. Grimmjow was wearing a white, long-sleeved, v-neck shirt and dark-blue jeans that fit like a dream. Black motorcycle boots completed the simple ensemble and Ichigo was hard-pressed not to outright drool.

"For you to call me a kid, you must be pretty up there," Ichigo dead-panned.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes and stepped so close, Ichigo could smell him. _Oh, boy_. Grimmjow smelled like that blue Irish Spring soap, fresh laundry and something musky and completely male. Ichigo lifted his chin and stuck out his chest slightly, despite the immensely threatening aura coming from Grimmjow.

Grimmjow smirked dangerously before responding. "If ya wanna know how old I am, all ya gotta do is ask, Ginger Bread Man."

Ichigo scowled deeply and glared at Grimmjow. So what if the man's breath smelled like some type of minty gum, and Ichigo had been enjoying his closeness way more than he probably should have? He wasn't about to let Grimmjow get away with that "Ginger Bread Man" shit.

"I don't give a shit how old you are, and don't call me Ginger Bread Man," Ichigo grumbled, ending up sounding like a petulant child.

Grimmjow laughed and patted Ichigo on the shoulder. "OK, Ginger. What're ya doing on this side of town anyway? You don't live around here."

"Really? I hadn't noticed, but thanks for reminding me," Ichigo fumed.

Grimmjow just laughed again and headed towards a motorcycle parked at the curb. Ichigo's eyes widened considerably at the beautiful piece of machinery. Grimmjow was currently straddling a midnight-blue and chrome Kawasaki Roundup DSD_6731, and fitting a matching midnight-blue helmet over his head. Ichigo realized Grimmjow was wearing a backpack and grinned.

"What's funny?" Grimmjow's voice floated from under the helmet.

"Why do you have a backpack?"

"Whattaya want me to do? Carry the shit I need in my hands? Sorry, that don't really work on a bike, Ginger."

Ichigo could actually hear the man's smile and inwardly cursed his stupidity. _Just walk away, Ichigo, just walk away_. He heard Shiro snicker and wished he could punch him. Trying to hide his embarrassment, Ichigo started off in the direction of his apartment, but was stopped.

"Oi! Didncha hear me?" Grimmjow called out. Ichigo turned back feeling confused. When had he spoken? "Tch. I asked if ya wanna ride? I got an extra helmet," Grimmjow stated, holding up a black helmet.

Ichigo shuffled his feet as he contemplated the offer on the table. On one hand, he didn't feel like walking and the thought of riding that sexy bike made him anxious as a kid on Christmas Eve, but on the other hand, that meant straddling a beastly piece of machinery and hanging onto a man he was very much attracted to.

Ichigo bit his lip. Then again, the ride might be a good way to test his sexual preference. Just because he was attracted to Grimmjow didn't automatically mean he wanted to have sex with him, right? Well, that was his story and he was sticking to it, dammit.

'Whatever makes ya feel better, King,' Shiro commented.

'Shutup!' Ichigo inwardly argued as he moved towards Grimmjow and the offered helmet.

Ichigo pulled it over his head and was about to sit behind the blue-haired Espada, when Grimmjow held up his hand, halting his progress. Ichigo watched as Grimmjow pulled off his backpack and handed it to him.

"If ya don't mind holdin' onto that, it'll be more comfortable for ya," he murmured and Ichigo wished he could see his eyes.

"Thanks."

Ichigo settled himself onto the purring machine after slipping the backpack on and cautiously wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's waist. Shit, he felt good.

"Hold on!" Grimmjow yelled and tore away from the curb.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow couldn't keep his heart from beating viciously against his ribs and damn, was he glad he had a helmet on, or other motorists would have thought he was insane from the wide grin he just couldn't keep in check. To think he would run into the red head at his favorite store, and then be able to get him onto the back of his new toy.

As Grimmjow rounded a corner, Ichigo's arms tightened around his waist, making his shit-eating grin spread. Damn, if the Ginger Boy didn't feel amazing pressed against his back and clinging to him like that. Grimmjow was finding it incredibly hard not to pull over and molest Ichigo wherever they stopped, public be damned.

Ichigo was so fucking cute! Blushing all crazy when Grimmjow had called him "Ginger Bread Man." Not to mention, bickering with him was pretty stimulating too. Grimmjow was looking forward to future hassling because he had every intention to have Ichigo all to himself.

About three days after seeing "Ichigo", Grimmjow had reconciled the fact that he was very attracted to the Ginger Boy, and what he wanted he got. He wasn't one to take "no" for an answer and he wasn't about to start now. He would just have to proceed with caution because he wasn't sure of Ichigo's sexual preference. No matter. He could wait, even though he wasn't the most patient of people. Actually he wasn't patient at all, but now was as good a time as ever to practice some self control.

All too soon, Grimmjow was pulling up to Ichigo's apartment complex and cutting the engine. As he pulled his helmet off, Ichigo's arms slowly slid from around his waist and Grimmjow already missed their warmth. Ichigo pulled the helmet off and handed it to him, his face thoroughly flushed, his hair flattened and a wide grin spread across his face. Grimmjow sucked in a breath. Shit, Ichigo was damn beautiful.

"I take it you liked the ride," Grimmjow stated.

"Hell yeah! I love bikes," Ichigo said with much enthusiasm.

Grimmjow's shit-eating grin was back with full force. "Good ta know. I gotta go get ready for tonight, Ginger, so I'll see ya around."

"Wait! You're fighting tonight?"

"Yeah, Nel or Ulquiorra will be gettin' in touch witcha a little later to let ya know in case ya wanna come and watch," Grimmjow said, fitting the helmet back over his head.

Ichigo nodded. "OK. And thanks for the ride, Grimmjow."

"Anytime."

Grimmjow peeled away headed for home, thoughts still reeling from his name on Ichigo's tongue, and being so close to him. Ichigo didn't know it yet, but he was going to be his.

XOXOXO

"So, everything's been taken care of?" he asked.

"Yeah, they'll have it in time for the fight," his brother replied.

"Good. He won't be walking away from that arena tonight if _I've_ got anything to say about it."

"Sharp, what if he notices? Won't that have the opposite effect?"

"No. By then, it'll be too late," he calmly answered and observed his brother. The younger man's face was twisted with concern as he shifted uncomfortably. "Keiji, everything will be fine. You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course, but I'm still worried for you. You _are_ my big brother and the only family I've got left. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I mean, I understand you want to avenge Luppi, but the people you're up against are pretty powerful."

Sharp sighed. Keiji was always like that: worrying where it was unnecessary. That was his kid brother, though, so he put up with the nagging and clinging. Sharp wasn't going to fold on this subject, however, because Luppi didn't deserve to die the way he had.

"Keiji, I understand your concern, but there really is nothing to worry about. Tonight, step one will be executed and the Sexta Espada will be no more," he said grinning broadly.


	8. Abject Cowardice

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

4:15 PM

"Shinji, it's not that serious," Ichigo stated blandly.

Shinji gave him an incredulous look before rolling his eyes and waving his hand dismissively. "It certainly didn't seem that way when you got here."

Ichigo glared at Shinji murderously. Shinji had unfortunately seen Ichigo being dropped off by Grimmjow, and had automatically kicked everything the hell out of proportion. Ichigo had been climbing the stairs, lost in thought and lust, when he was ambushed by an over-curious Shinji, bombarding him with questions and accusations. Ichigo had been far from prepared and his blush coupled with his flustered stammering had been a veritable field day for his blond friend.

Now, Shinji was prying and demanding answers because _"Not only is this your first romance, but it's with a guy!"_ Ichigo had a headache and all he really wanted to do was get showered, eat, and possibly catch a nap before Grimmjow's fight. Not that he was going to have any luck in the nap department with "Sir Nose" there.

"Shinji, it's not a damned romance! We only know each other in passing!" Ichigo snapped.

"Yeah, but you like him. It was written all over your face, so don't even _try_ to deny it." Shinji's eyes were twinkling like stars and his hands were clasped together as he squealed like a fangirl. "Uwwaahhhhh! Ichi-chan has a crush!"

Oh, good grief, kill him now. Ichigo wasn't in the mood for this shit! He'd really wanted to be alone with his strange little musings of the blue-haired god that was Grimmjow. The man was absolutely intoxicating. His smell, his eyes, his hair, his smile, his voice...what was he talking about again? Oh yeah. Shinji.

Ichigo gave a dramatic sigh of his own and stalked into the bathroom to shower and give himself a few moments of peace. Shinji had been right about one thing, though: Ichigo _did_ like Grimmjow. True, he knew next to nothing about the man, but that was how initial attraction worked, right? What he _did_ know was that the man was sexy as ice water in a drought, had a sinful voice and a bad-ass bike. What wasn't to like?

'Ya gonna talk ta 'im again, King?'

Crap. Ichigo had almost forgotten about Shiro's omnipresence. Ichigo was in the middle of washing his hair when he finally decided to inwardly speak.

'Maybe.'

'Wha's the problem?' Shiro asked, genuine concern in his tone.

'Nothing.'

'Liar. King, ya can't really hide things from me. I only bother askin' for the sake of conversation.'

'What do I say? Shit, what the hell do I _do_? Every time I see him I get all...stupid,' Ichigo thought angrily.

Shiro cackled. 'Start with bein' yerself. Although, I gotta say, seein' ya fumblin' around like a girl is pretty entertainin'.'

'I hate you sometimes, you know that?'

'Well, tha's not very nice,' Shiro commented through his chuckles.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and rinsed off before climbing out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. Grabbing another towel for his hair, he headed to his room to get dressed, unknowingly being followed by Shinji.

"So, what happened? I want details," Shinji prodded from the doorway and Ichigo whirled around barely holding back a scream.

"Shinji! Get your ass outta my room so I can dress!"

"Jeez, don't get your panties in a bunch, Ichi-chan."

Ichigo growled as he watched Shinji disappear from his room. Fucking Yoruichi! She just had to blab that stupid name around Shinji, and now he wouldn't let it go. Ichigo shoved himself into clean boxers and black socks, black jeans and a simple black, long-sleeved fitted thermal shirt, then switched his flesh-colored tongue ring for a black one, decorated with a white skull that he'd only just bought yesterday. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. Yeah, right. His hair was pretty much in a class all alone, so he let it do its own thing.

He trudged into the living room and flopped onto the couch, waiting for Shinji to begin the inquisition. The slender blond was perched on the arm of the couch, watching Ichigo with a small smirk.

"You look nice, Ichi-chan," he commented.

"Shinji, do you _want_ me to break you in half?"

"Not particularly. I'm just happy you finally found someone you like."

Ichigo hated when Shinji did that. He would get under Ichigo's skin and then turn all nice in the next instant. It was frustrating because Ichigo just wanted to tear into Shinji like a pitbull with a steak, but then Shinji would pull the sweet card on him.

"Tch! Whatever. I'm assuming you're coming with me tonight," Ichigo dead-panned and stretched out on the couch.

"I wouldn't miss this even if you _paid_ me to."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and put his arms behind his head. He was taking a nap, Shinji be damned. "I'm going to sleep, so shut up and wake me at eleven. Please," Ichigo mumbled, his eyes drifting shut.

"Che. The nerve of this guy."

XOXOXO

9:45 PM

His body wouldn't keep still, no matter how much he willed it to. He was antsy, restless, anxious, excited. Grimmjow was always like this before a fight, but for some reason, tonight he was even more-so. He wouldn't be taking Desgarron out because he could never anticipate his condition after a fight, so instead, he would hitch a ride with Nnoitra. Speaking of Jiruga...

"Damn."

Grimmjow glanced at Nnoitra seated on the couch, with a questioning expression. Nnoitra shook his head slightly as he held his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Who the fuck woulda done somethin' like that?" he growled into the device. "Shit. Fine."

Nnoitra snapped the phone shut, his forehead drawn in a deep scowl, his jaw tense. Grimmjow raised a brow, but kept silent, knowing Nnoitra would speak when he was ready.

"Ya 'member that guy that worked on Aizen's office floor? The secretary? I forget his name. Used ta follow me around and shit whenever I went up there?"

"Tesla?"

"Yeah! Well, he's dead. Somebody offed him," Nnoitra grumbled as Grimmjow frowned. What the hell?

"Why would someone kill him? He was quiet; didn't do much other than his job. Oh, and kiss your ass, of course," Grimmjow grinned. Everyone knew Tesla was crazy about Nnoitra, even the man himself.

"Shut up! I feel bad enough already, don't need ya rubbin' the shit in. Anyway, Shorty says he was found in a warehouse in the industrial area with a note stuck to his chest."

"Yer not one for suspense, so why start now?" Grimmjow snapped. The way Nnoitra was looking at him was making an ominous feeling slither across his skin.

Nnoitra grinned. "Sounds like ya got yerself a fan, Grimm."

"Spit it the fuck out, Jiruga!"

"Shit, don't have a fuckin' cow," Nnoitra sobered and gave him a pointed stare. "The note said 'the Sexta is next'."

A sick foreboding sensation formed in the pit of his stomach as he was reminded of Nel's visit earlier that day. Was that why she was so worried? Made sense, now that he thought about it. Well, fuck that and all that shit! Grimmjow wasn't about to be intimidated by some pussy with a grudge. That wasn't his style. This guy was barking up the right tree if he was looking for blood.

"Well, shit, I better not disappoint him, then," Grimmjow commented, simultaneously giving a sinister smirk.

"Damn. Kinda wish it was me fightin' tonight, now," Nnoitra muttered.

Grimmjow was lost in thought. So, someone wanted to kill him, huh? Did they think it was gonna be easy? Ha! Whoever it was would see what happened to pricks that threatened him.

XOXOXO

10:32 PM

"Should we cancel the appointment?" Ulquiorra asked.

Aizen shook his head as he steepled his fingers. "No. Just be sure to have Szayel on standby. I don't like when my fighters are threatened, and having a loyal employee of mine destroyed in that manner is completely unacceptable. However, I will not cower from such base intimidation tactics. I assume Grimmjow would not appreciate the cancellation either."

"No, he would not, Aizen, sir," Ulquiorra agreed.

"That will be all then, Ulquiorra."

"Yes, sir."

Ulquiorra exited the office and Aizen reached into his desk drawer for the bottle of aspirin he kept for emergencies such as this. Gin instantly handed him a glass of water from the mini-bar located in the corner of the room.

"Thank you, Gin," he stated before swallowing the pills and chasing them with the water. "How disappointing."

"I wonder why they killed Tesla, of all people, though," Gin mused aloud as he rubbed his chin.

" _That_ is inconsequential. The fact remains that Tesla was loyal and mine, therefore steps will be taken to discourage further foolish acts," Aizen stated, his voice only mildly irritated.

"Of course, Aizen, sir."

XOXOXO

11:30 PM

Ichigo was early since the fight was scheduled for midnight, but he was anxious. Not only did he want to see Grimmjow again, but he also wanted to see how the man fought, to see if he was as dangerous as his aura made him appear.

Ichigo had been given a key – that looked more like a metal credit card – and a formal picture ID to access Hueco Mundo. He felt like James Bond or, better yet, Batman going to the bat cave and he had to admit, it gave him a thrill. Not to mention, the look on Shinji's face was well worth the aggravation he'd endured earlier.

"Ichi-chan, this is-"

"Shinji, I'll murder you and promptly dispose of the body if you call me that again," Ichigo growled dangerously.

Shinji's eyes widened before he grinned saucily. "Sorry, Ichi. It's sorta become a habit."

"You better get it outta your system 'cuz if you call me that in here, I'll make sure you're never able to enjoy sex again," Ichigo said, thoroughly enjoying the way Shinji's face paled as he gulped.

"OK, OK."

They arrived at a set of large, steel double doors guarded by a pair of equally large men. Ichigo could feel Shinji clinging to him like a barnacle as he approached the men with his ID.

"So yer the new Septima, eh? Yer kinda cute," the ape on the left said, grinning lecherously at Ichigo and making him shudder.

_Yeeeaaahh, no thanks._

"Can we go in now?" Ichigo asked impatiently.

"Sure."

The men pressed identical buttons on either side of the doors, making them swing open. Ichigo's anxiety spiked sharply at the sight of a crowd of people gathered at the bottom of a cement staircase. The cheers and screams were at ear-splitting levels as the men and women watched two men fighting in the center of a circular area blocked off by a thick metal railing.

Ichigo could feel tension and excitement rippling through the arena and it raised his heart rate enormously. He was so focused on the sight before him that he didn't notice Shinji pinching his side until he gave up and harshly pulled Ichigo's ear.

"Ow! The fuck, Shinji?"

"Earth to Ichigo. There are seats over there so you don't have to stand on the stairs...baka," Shinji chided.

Ichigo glanced in the direction Shinji indicated and blushed furiously upon seeing the amused faces watching him.

"That's certainly deja vu," Nnoitra said with his characteristic grin displayed.

"I was thinking the same thing," Nel giggled.

_Deja vu?_

"What do you mean?" Ichigo questioned as he took a seat next to Nel.

"That's what Shiro did too when he first walked in. You both stood at the top of the stairs and tuned everything else out," she explained.

Ichigo "mm'ed" and continued taking note of who was present. Nnoitra, Nel, Starrk, Yammy, Ulquiorra, Szayel...where was Grimmjow? Ichigo didn't see him but he _did_ notice Nnoitra watching him and wearing that infernal grin.

"What?" Ichigo snapped.

"Lookin' for someone?"

"No!"

But his fiery face may have given him away. A little.

Nnoitra gave his usual cackle as Ichigo slouched in his seat. Shit, was he that obvious? He glanced around again and his eyes met Szayel's narrowed ones. Ichigo grinned wickedly. Messing with Szayel had become sort of a twisted hobby for him since that night a week ago, but before he could open his mouth to antagonize the pink-haired man, the double doors swung open.

Grimmjow stepped through them wearing nothing but a pair of black, loose-fitting drawstring pants. That was it. No shirt. No shoes. Not even any socks. Just the pants. Ichigo touched his chin to check for saliva because he was certain he was drooling.

Ichigo's heart beat so hard and fast, it hurt as his eyes greedily devoured Grimmjow's naked torso. _Oh my God_ , his conscience whispered in awe. Grimmjow's broad shoulders, arms roped with muscle, chiseled pectorals and well-defined abdomen glistened with a fine sheen of perspiration as if he'd warmed up already. He carried a half-empty bottle of water and leaned against the railing surrounding the small platform they were seated on.

Grimmjow was quietly speaking with Nnoitra and Ichigo openly gaped. How the hell did someone manage to look that good? Ichigo shifted in his seat as Grimmjow's gaze finally met his stare. Shit. Grimmjow was smiling at him and Ichigo's heart felt like it had finally given up on life and plummeted to the depths of his stomach.

'King, calm down. Yer gonna give yerself a heart attack,' Shiro commented as he quietly chuckled.

Ichigo took a deep breath. 'Yeah,' he inwardly agreed.

"So, ya came to watch me fight, huh, Ginger?" Grimmjow was now seated next to Ichigo and in the process of taping his hands. When had he moved?

"Figured I'd come see if you're actually worthy of your title," Ichigo said nonchalantly, despite his heart beating in his mouth.

Grimmjow paused in taping his hands and raised an eyebrow at him, then tipped his head back and gave a short bark of laughter. "Oh, yeah?" he murmured. Ichigo smirked and shrugged. "Ya better not blink then. Ya might just miss it."

"Oh, don't worry, I won't," Ichigo said and then cringed when he realized how that may have sounded.

He peeked at Grimmjow from the corner of his eye and found the man grinning as he taped his foot. Ichigo glanced around and caught the amused gaze of not only Shinji, but Nnoitra as well.

Shit.

XOXOXO

12:05 AM

It was time. Grimmjow stood in the pit across from a shorter, dark-haired man with dark eyes, who was wearing an all black karate gi, a red dragon emblazoned on the back. The man was currently shooting him a death glare that made Grimmjow grin widely. Grimmjow cracked his knuckles, then stretched his arms across his chest in the form of a cross. This punk didn't look tough at all.

Grimmjow smirked as he looked up at the Espada platform and focused on a head of bright orange hair. Ginger had come to see him and he didn't want to disappoint. Scratch that. He wouldn't. The way Ginger had been looking at him on the platform had made Grimmjow want to drag him off somewhere and make him scream bloody murder. In a good way, of course. He didn't know if Ginger was aware of the looks he'd been sending him though, which was the only reason Grimmjow hadn't attacked him right then and there.

Menoly approached the center of the pit, clutching a cordless microphone before beckoning the fighters towards her. Grimmjow grinned wickedly at the hateful glare coming from his opponent and blew him a kiss. The man curled his lip and snarled, only making Grimmjow laugh heartily.

"Tonight's main event is Nagasaki's Tanaka Sasaki, AKA Sharp, versus Karakura's Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaaaaaaaaaaques!" The screams became deafening as Menoly paused to let the announcement stew. "Rules are: no weapons or foreign substances. Other than that, anything goes! OK, gentlemen, bow." Grimmjow bowed stiffly, his eyes never leaving his opponent's face. "OK, let's fight!"

The man, Sharp, backed away a few paces, but that wasn't Grimmjow's style. Instead, he stalked steadily towards Sharp with a calm demeanor as though he were just out for a stroll. As expected, Sharp scowled in confusion and backed up even more until Grimmjow had him pressed against the metal railing. With a wide grin, displaying his sharp canines, he stomped at Sharp.

"Boo!" The man flinched disgracefully and Grimmjow cackled, his eyes bright. "Baaaaka."

Sharp – probably out of embarrassment – swung sloppily at Grimmjow, but Grimmjow countered with a hard left jab, followed by an even harder right hook, sending the man skidding across the ground. Grimmjow laughed gleefully and danced on the balls of his feet, rotating his shoulders and cracking his neck. He lived for this kind of thing.

Sharp was slowly climbing to his feet when Grimmjow approached him, stalking him like a large cat. Getting a running start, Grimmjow drew back his leg and let his shin connect full-force with Sharp's stomach, propelling the man back to the ground.

Grimmjow allowed Sharp to wobble to his feet and took note of the blood creeping from the man's nose and lip. Grimmjow raised a brow at Sharp's harsh breathing and the way he clutched his stomach. Was he really a fighter?

Suddenly, the man lunged at Grimmjow pretty swiftly for someone who had just looked to be in the throes of exhaustion, and tackled him to the ground. What the fuck was this shit? Grimmjow had never seen anyone use a tackle in Hueco Mundo, considering the concrete ground of the pit. He hit his right shoulder upon impact with the ground and winced, but simultaneously tried to get a grip on the strangely fast and slippery Sharp as they scuffled.

Suddenly, Grimmjow felt a sharp prick, followed by a burning sensation on the left side of his neck. He hissed and grabbed at the spot at the same time that Sharp rolled away and to his feet. What the hell? Grimmjow pulled his hand back and stared at the tiny, finger-pricking needle, then at Sharp, who was smirking evilly.

"What the fuck did you do?" Grimmjow demanded as he climbed to his feet. He felt his head go light and swayed dangerously on the spot.

"I don't see you laughing now, Sexta," Sharp taunted, his voice cold and glittering dark eyes filled with hatred. "Consider that a going-away present from Luppi."

Grimmjow's eyes widened as he swayed again, reaching his arms out to steady himself. "What the-" he started, but was cut off by a foot to the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

What the fuck had been on that needle? Grimmjow grasped the small needle in his fist. If he was going to lose he would keep it as evidence that that pussy Sharp had cheated.

Suddenly, it felt like everything he'd eaten that day was forcing its way up his throat. Dropping to his hands and knees, Grimmjow emptied the contents of his stomach until he was gasping for breath and his eyes were watering. It felt like his lungs had decided to deflate and stay that way, burning like they had been ignited after being drenched with lighter fluid.

Grimmjow rolled to his back, lying spread-eagle and still gasping, his limbs going numb. He noticed Szayel in his peripheral vision, wearing a dark scowl as he hurried down the stairs leading from the platform, followed by Stark and Nnoitra chasing...Ichigo? Grimmjow's eyes fluttered closed. He had to be seeing things.

XOXOXO

Incredible. That was all Ichigo could think as he watched Grimmjow stalking towards his opponent. That is, after nearly being brought to tears by the previous display. Ichigo shook his head in amusement. Grimmjow was an idiot. An incredibly intimidating, graceful and strong idiot.

"He's insane," Shinji breathed. Ichigo nodded his agreement.

"Ain't seen nothin' yet," Nnoitra drawled.

Then everything went horribly wrong. Grimmjow's opponent abruptly tackled him, taking them both to the ground before jumping back to his feet, leaving Grimmjow on his knees and grabbing his neck.

"Tch. He's cheating," Starrk said disgustedly, his laser-like eyes focused on the two in the pit.

Ichigo turned back to the fight in time to see Grimmjow swaying on his feet. What the hell? Next, his opponent sent Grimmjow to the ground with a kick to his face. When Grimmjow started hurling and gasping for breath, Ichigo was on his feet, anger pulsing off of him in thick waves.

'King, I'm losin' ya. If ya don't want me ta come out, ya gotta calm down,' Shiro warned.

'I got this,' Ichigo inwardly seethed.

He was beyond furious. Ichigo didn't know why seeing Grimmjow that way disturbed him so, considering he barely knew him, but one thing he _did_ know: he fucking despised cheating. It was the lowest of the low in his opinion. Ichigo's teeth were bared in a livid snarl and his hands were fisted at his sides.

"I-Ichigo?" Nel questioned hesitantly, drawing everyone's attention to the irate red-head. Shinji held his hand to Ichigo's shoulder, but Ichigo shrugged it off after seeing Grimmjow sprawl onto his back and Szayel rushing towards the pit.

"Fuck that," he spat and followed quickly behind Szayel.

Ichigo could feel Shiro buzzing in his head with excitement at the prospect of a fight as he stormed down the cement stairs. Once in the pit, Szayel stooped beside an unmoving Grimmjow as Ichigo stalked right up to Sharp and without hesitation, punched him in the nose as hard as he could. Even as the man was falling, Ichigo grabbed his collar and drove his fist repeatedly into the guy's face, relishing the sounds it made with each connection, Shiro howling with mirth the entire time.

All too soon, a pair of arms snaked underneath Ichigo's armpits and pulled him off of the bloodied disaster underneath him.

"That's enough, kid," Nnoitra growled as he tried to hold Ichigo still.

In the commotion, Sharp disappeared, but that wasn't the biggest problem. All the present Espada were gathered around Grimmjow while Szayel held a penlight to each eye, then checked his breathing. Nel was at Grimmjow's side, crying softly and hugging her arms to her chest. Everyone else just looked pissed, including Ulquiorra who was currently on the phone.

"Starrk, get my car. We need to get him out of here immediately. He's not breathing," Szayel hurriedly stated as he handed off a set of keys and began administering CPR.

Starrk nodded and rushed up the stairs, taking them three at a time. After a few repetitions, Grimmjow gasped weakly, but his eyes never opened. Szayel snatched a small vial from a black bag and dropped a tiny needle into it before pulling out a mini-intubation kit.

"Nel, can you hold his mouth open?" Szayel asked as he unraveled a plastic tube connected to a small, portable oxygen machine. Nel nodded and did as told, sniffling the whole while. Once Grimmjow was properly intubated, Szayel sat back on his heels. "We need to go."

Surprisingly, Yammy pushed through them, stooped down and scooped Grimmjow into his arms, carefully holding his neck and back straight. Szayel slung the bag containing the oxygen machine over Yammy's broad shoulder, then they hurried up the stairs, followed by the remaining Espada.

Ichigo had been rooted to the spot, watching in disbelief, a sick feeling roiling in the pit of his gut, with Shinji at his side equally dumbfounded. What the fuck had just happened?

XOXOXO

"You were fucking lucky, you idiot! I still can't believe we got out of there alive!" Keiji screeched as he paced the room.

Sharp wasn't thinking about any of that though as he tuned his brother out. He had finally gotten his revenge on the Sexta Espada for Luppi. There was no way the blue-haired man could survive that cyanide. Sharp grinned wickedly before the smile faltered, his thoughts landing on the orange-haired demon that had attacked him ruthlessly afterward.

Sharp held an ice pack to his battered and bruised face as he remembered the insane look on the guy's face. It gave him the creeps. Why were all the fucking Espada such scary bastards?

No matter. He'd achieved his goal and now he could proceed to step two. Things were rolling along rather smoothly.


	9. Relief

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"I tested the needle Grimmjow had in his hand and it turned up small traces of cyanide. Had there been even a single dose more, I wouldn't have been able to save him."

"Where is he now?"

"I've turned his bedroom into a makeshift hospital room. He's still on the respirator, but his vitals have been stable this past week. He still hasn't regained consciousness though, so I thought it wise to have someone with him at all times."

"Good work, Szayel. Keep me posted, please."

"Yes, Aizen, sir."

Szayel left the office and Aizen reclined in his seat, resting his chin on his fist and narrowing his eyes in thought. He glanced at Gin standing beside his desk, wearing a serious expression. Exactly the way he felt. Someone was attacking his employees in a very unacceptable manner.

"This is becoming ridiculous, Gin," Aizen spoke softly.

"Ah. S'gettin' serious. Whattaya wanna do, sir?"

"Find me this Sharp person. I'll decide what to do afterward."

"Yes, sir," Gin bowed and left the office as silently as if he had never been there.

Aizen rubbed his chin and stared at the ceiling. _Ridiculous indeed._

XOXOXO

"Mmm...fuuuuck," Nnoitra moaned as he buried his long, thin fingers into inky black hair.

His hand grasped the back of the dark head and began guiding its movements as it bobbed up and down in his lap, his hips giving small thrusts in time to the sinful mouth working his dick like a rocket pop.

"Haah...shit...I'm comin'," he murmured and tipped his head back to rest against the back of the couch.

The smaller man before him engulfed Nnoitra's entire length and swallowed twice before Nnoitra exploded down his throat and instantly saw bright lights and pretty stars.

"Fuckin' crap," Nnoitra cursed as he watched the man swallow and wipe the corner of his mouth through one slitted eye. "Yer really good at that, ya know?"

Emerald green eyes sparkled as the corner of Ulquiorra's mouth twitched in a small smirk. He straddled Nnoitra's lap, wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck and twined his fingers in the equally dark hair.

"Perhaps you should show me," Ulquiorra murmured against Nnoitra's lips. Nnoitra grinned broadly and ran his hands up and down the petite man's back. Just as he was about to respond, his cell phone rang.

"FUCK! Somebody better be dyin' er somethin'," he growled. Ulquiorra slid off of Nnoitra's lap in order to give him more room to search for the phone. "Yo!" Nnoitra snapped into the device, not even bothering to fix his pants.

"You do realize that you're over an hour late, yes?" Halibel's smooth voice traveled through the phone.

"Ah, shit! I fergot. I'm on my way now."

Halibel ended the call and Nnoitra stood, reluctantly pulling up his boxers and pants. He glanced over his shoulder at Ulquiorra, who had donned a white terry-cloth robe and was currently sipping from a bottle of water. Once Nnoitra had his clothing righted, he sauntered up to Ulquiorra and tipped the man's chin upwards with his long index finger.

"I guess I owe ya one."

"That you do. Do not waste anymore time, Nnoitra. I am certain that Halibel is quite upset with you," Ulquiorra stated nonchalantly.

"Yeah, ya better hope she leaves my balls in tact."

"It is not your balls I am concerned with. Will you return after your shift?"

"Almost sounds like ya want me to," Nnoitra grinned lecherously.

Ulquiorra's lips twitched again. "As you've already said: you owe me one."

Nnoitra's grin spread as he stooped down to steal a kiss from the stoic Cuarto. He loved teasing the seemingly emotionless man, only to reveal the hot-blooded side that was kept so well hidden.

Nnoitra left Ulquiorra's apartment and headed for his car, remembering how he'd first gotten into the petite man's pants. Ulquiorra had dropped by to tell Nnoitra he'd had an appointment that evening, and like he usually did, Nnoitra had baited the smaller man, saying and doing any and everything to get under that stoic mask. Boy, he didn't expect it to work as well as it did.

Ulquiorra had stared at him blankly after Nnoitra had called him a virgin, before stalking towards him and pushing him down onto the couch. Ulquiorra had proceeded to suck him off, then leave as if nothing had happened. Nnoitra had been flabbergasted, to say the least. After that, he'd cornered Ulquiorra in the underground garage of Hueco Mundo and fucked him over the hood of his own car.

From then on, he and Ulquiorra had an off-again, on-again, whenever-it's-convenient type of thing going. It had been strange at first seeing the cold, green-eyed man turn into a wanton mess whenever they fucked, but now Nnoitra relished the emotions Ulquiorra would let slip. Made him want more.

Nnoitra parked in front of the now familiar apartment building and cut the engine. He hated being here and seeing his friend lying still as death, instead of cursing him out. It wasn't right. He really hoped Grimmjow would wake up soon.

XOXOXO

"Dad! What the crap is that?" Ichigo screeched and pointed at the pot full of...?

"It's chicken noodle soup! Can't you tell?" Isshin pouted, still holding a wooden spoon and wearing a "Kiss the Chef" apron.

"Where's Yuzu? Did you _seriously_ expect us to eat that?"

Isshin's lower lip trembled before he held the hand with the wooden spoon up to his forehead and wailed.

"Aaaahhhh, Masaaaakiiiiiiii! Our son is so cruel!"

Ichigo kicked Isshin clear across the kitchen, scowling the entire time. What the fuck was wrong with his old man?

"I'll make something! Just get out!" Ichigo snapped as he rolled up the sleeves of his long-sleeved gray thermal shirt.

"Of course, my son!" Isshin replied as if he hadn't just been soccer-kicked across a room.

Karin came into the kitchen and after surveying the situation, just shook her head. "Goat-chin, Yuzu is gonna kill you for messing up her soup pot," she said as she plucked an apple from a dish on the kitchen table.

"Yuzu would never! She isn't cruel like you two!" Isshin retorted.

"Get out, Dad! Karin, where is Yuzu anyway?" Ichigo asked as he dumped the disaster his old man had called chicken noodle soup into the trash.

"She's staying with a friend for the night."

"Awww, man. I wanted to see her too. Ah well, I'll just come back next weekend. How's school?"

"It's OK, I guess. Soccer is cool. Classes are pretty lame though," Karin said through bites of the apple.

"You aren't failing or anything like that, are you?" Ichigo asked.

Karin sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "Of course not. It's just boring."

"Mmm."

"Well, I'm goin' upstairs. Call me when it's done," she said and shuffled out of the kitchen.

Ichigo stood at the kitchen counter, chopping vegetables for a real meal of chicken noodle soup, his mind drifting to a week ago and that dreaded fight. It still pissed him the fuck off that that Sharp prick had almost killed Grimmjow and cheated to do it.

Even though a week had passed, Ichigo still hadn't been to see Grimmjow. He'd heard that the man was still unconscious and Ichigo really didn't want to see him like that. He was already dealing with emotions that he didn't quite understand. For instance, why did he react so strongly to anything dealing with Grimmjow? Ichigo was attracted to him, but that didn't explain the heavy feeling in his chest whenever he remembered that night and seeing Grimmjow nearly die.

Which brought him to another point. Ichigo had reacted violently to what happened to Grimmjow. Shinji had later told him that he had never seen Ichigo so pissed and that it had scared the hell out of him. Nnoitra had been highly amused and kept asking Ichigo if he was sure he and Grimmjow hadn't fucked yet. After blushing like the virgin he was, he had reassured Nnoitra that they hadn't done anything except talk. He didn't think Nnoitra was buying it, though.

Ichigo sighed and wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He wanted to see Grimmjow. He wanted to reassure himself that the man was fine and only unconscious, but every time he drew up the courage, it dissipated and he chickened out. Shinji had even offered to accompany him, but Ichigo wanted to go alone.

Just then, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket making him nearly jump out of his skin. Ichigo added the vegetables, noodles and chicken to the broth he had prepared before wiping his hands on a dish towel and plucking the phone from his pocket.

New Message from: Szayel

Huh? What the hell did he want? Ichigo tapped the screen to read the message.

_Are you free tonight?_

Ichigo frowned as he slid the screen up to access the keyboard and type out a quick reply.

_Why?_

Ichigo sent the message and trudged into the living room of his childhood home, flopping onto the well-worn couch. His phone buzzed as soon as he made himself comfortable.

_I need your assistance._

  1. Ichigo was getting freaked out because it sounded as if Szayel was hitting on him.



_With what?_

He bit his lip as he waited for Szayel's response. Pleeeease, don't let this be some type of seduction.

Vrrrrrr, vrrrrrrr.

_I need an overnight babysitter._

What? Szayel had a kid? Why didn't Ichigo know about that?

_Overnight, you said?_

_Is that a problem, Ichigo?_

Ichigo sighed deeply. It's wasn't like he had anything else to do.

_No, fine. Whatever. What time?_

_Excellent. I'll text you the address at 10 pm._

Ugh. What the hell had he just agreed to?

XOXOXO

"He's gonna kick yer ass, ya know that, right?" Nnoitra said flatly.

Szayel shrugged. "I don't care. He's the only one who hasn't done a shift."

"Yeah well, he's _still_ gonna kick yer ass, and I've got a front row seat."

Szayel rolled his eyes and after removing the almost empty one, added a new IV reservoir that would last until morning. He studied Grimmjow's face and heaved a sigh.

"I'm going to take him off of the respirator. He was breathing fine on his own earlier, I just needed to be sure," he commented absently.

"Does that mean he'll be wakin' up?" Nnoitra asked hopefully.

Szayel shrugged. "It's possible."

"Che. I hope so. Seein' him like that is fuckin' weird."

Szayel had to agree with Nnoitra. Seeing Grimmjow Jaegerjaques lying on death's door instead of mouthing off to authority figures and being the arrogant idiot he normally was, was indeed strange.

Szayel let out a long yawn as he removed the tube from Grimmjow's mouth. Luckily, the man hadn't needed a tracheotomy. Grimmjow's chest rose and fell rhythmically on its own and Szayel was satisfied.

"I'm going home," he stated as he gathered his trench coat.

"Chicken."

"I'm fucking tired, Nnoitra! It has nothing to do with Ichigo," Szayel snapped and headed for the bedroom door.

"Uh-huh. If it makes ya feel better."

Szayel slammed the door behind himself and stormed to the elevators. Fucking idiot.

XOXOXO

Ichigo had stopped at his apartment for a change of clothes, pajamas, his toothbrush, deodorant (he certainly wasn't using Szayel's) and a book to read, after his visit with his old man and Karin. Szayel had given him the address and told him to be there in an hour.

So, here he was striding through the lobby of a really posh apartment building, headed for the elevators with a small black duffel bag over his shoulder. Szayel had told him the twentieth floor, apartment D, so Ichigo hit the button for twenty and settled back against the wall of the elevator as he listened to Skillet's "Whispers in the Dark." He started playing air guitar to the incredible solo, his eyes closed before the elevator jerked to a stop. When he did open his eyes, he cringed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he snapped at the sight of a grinning Nnoitra.

"Hi ta you too, princess."

"Don't fucking call me that, Popeye."

"Tch, idiot! Popeye doesn't have an eye patch," Nnoitra retorted, stepping onto the elevator as Ichigo stepped off.

"So? You still got my meaning, didn't you? Now, what the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, more than a little annoyed.

Nnoitra grinned maliciously and leaned forward. "Yer my relief. Have fun, beautiful," he said as the elevator doors slid closed.

Ichigo frowned as he made his way to apartment D. He didn't like the way Nnoitra had said "have fun." It made his skin crawl and a sick feeling form in the pit of his stomach. He didn't trust that beanpole when he got like that because it never meant anything good.

Ichigo pushed the apartment door open and looked around tentatively after stepping inside and closing and locking the door. Nice. Ichigo took in the large living room, off-white carpeting, plush black couch and love seat, black marble coffee table, big ass flat-screen TV with a ridiculous sound system, and framed pictures of landscapes hanging on the maroon-colored walls.

Ichigo dropped his bag on the couch and gave himself a tour of the place. There was a certain smell lingering in the air that was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite identify it. Off to the right of the living room were two large doorways perpendicular to each other, one leading down a hallway and the other with two stairs that led down into the kitchen.

Ichigo's eyebrows raised as he noted the black granite counter-tops and long island, the polished black marble floor, cherry wood cabinets and the huge black refrigerator. A large gas stove with eight burners sat a few feet beside the stainless steel sink. The place was a chef's wet dream. Szayel apparently had good taste.

Ichigo opened the fridge to find it packed with food and drinks. Beer? He hadn't pegged Szayel as a beer drinker, but to each his own. So far, Ichigo hadn't found any evidence of children. No toys, no sugary shit in the kitchen. Maybe Szayel was OCD.

He left the kitchen and tip-toed down the short hallway, pausing when he saw two doors on opposite sides of the hall. Taking the one on the right, he stepped into a bathroom. It was a decent size with the normal sink and toilet, but it also had a standing shower separate from the tub. From the looks of the living room and kitchen, this wasn't what Ichigo had been expecting at all.

But...wait. If that was the bathroom and the other room a bedroom, where the hell did the kids sleep? Ichigo frowned as he approached the last door. Something wasn't right and it had his heart drumming and his palms sweaty.

He pushed the door open and his eyes widened at the sheer size of the room. Floor to ceiling windows lined the west wall, giving a spectacular view of Karakura. Holy shit. The light spilling from the windows enabled Ichigo to get a good look at the room. Midnight blue carpeting covered the floor, while the walls were a rich, cream color. A tall, cherry wood, six-drawer dresser was placed a few feet to the right of where he stood.

Ichigo vaguely noticed the huge, king-sized bed in front of him because he was currently gawking at the open double doors on the wall, adjacent to the windows. He walked towards them in a sort of daze. A walk-in fucking closet? As he stepped inside and looked around at the different shelves and drawers, he spotted another set of double doors. Walking through them, Ichigo found the bathroom he'd been expecting the first time.

Holy hell, did they really get paid this much? He absorbed the black marble floor as well as the off-white, vanity-styled marble-top sink. Off to the left was a huge, jacuzzi-styled tub surrounded by the same black marble that covered the floor. Directly ahead was the biggest shower he'd ever seen. The thing had two heads and was about twelve by ten feet. Ridiculous.

Then, as if waking from a trance, he stumbled back against the sink as the smell surrounding him nearly knocked him over with its familiarity. Ichigo knew this scent because it had given him many wet dreams. He gulped and slowly moved back to the bedroom. This time he focused on the form lying on the bed, his chest constricting sharply when he noticed a shock of bright blue hair against a white pillow. A soft beeping emanated from a heart monitor and an IV dripped slowly next to the bed. Why hadn't he heard the heart monitor before?

Ichigo crept forward until he reached the right side of the bed. Flicking on a lamp that was situated on a black nightstand, he slowly took in Grimmjow's appearance. His breath felt like it had been mule-kicked from his chest when he noted the pale skin and gaunt face. Shit. He lowered himself to the bed and stared in disbelief. Grimmjow had lost weight. It wasn't alarming, but it was noticeable.

Ichigo also noticed that Grimmjow was breathing on his own, but was still unconscious. Ichigo felt a weird feeling forming in his stomach and a strange lump rising in his throat. Before he knew it, he was passing his fingers through dry, but surprisingly soft blue hair. He snatched his hand back in horror when he realized what he'd been doing. What was wrong with him? Ichigo glanced around the room as if he were being watched, before he directed his gaze back to Grimmjow. He had to get out of there.

Ichigo hurried from the bedroom and back into the living room, grabbing his phone from his pocket before flopping onto the couch in anger.

_You motherfucker!_

Ichigo was pissed. Szayel – that little bastard – had tricked him.

_:D Nighty night Ichigo_

Ichigo almost threw his phone across the room in frustration.

_Your ass is mine when I see you. Know that._

_Szayel is currently sleeping. Please leave him a message :D_

Ichigo gently put his phone down on the coffee table before he ended up breaking it. Szayel had just dug his own fucking grave and Ichigo was looking forward to putting him in it.

So, the reality of the situation was that he was spending the night in Grimmjow's home while the man lay unconscious in his bedroom. OK. Shouldn't be too hard.

'King, ya've been had,' Shiro stated before quietly laughing.

'Yeah, no shit.'

'What're ya so worried 'bout? He ain't even awake.'

'I know,' Ichigo responded. 'It's just that seeing him like that was fucking...I don't even know. Plus, I'm in his _personal living space_. That's different from just speaking to him in public places.'

'I never thought I'd be sayin' this, King, but...yer bein' a drama queen.'

'Fuck you! I'm not being a drama queen.'

Silence. Ichigo sighed and then began chuckling. Shiro was right. He was acting retarded for no reason. Grimmjow couldn't even move and Ichigo was all keyed up. So, screw it. He'd take a shower, crash on the couch and wait for Szayel to come so Ichigo could kick his head in.

Ichigo gathered his toothbrush, deodorant and pajamas and made his way to the bathroom across from Grimmjow's bedroom, but before he could make it inside, an urge propelled him to the enormous facilities in the bedroom. Stepping inside the room, he glanced at Grimmjow as if he were afraid the man would wake up and tell him to get out.

'King, just go wash yer ass already!'

'I know! Shut up!'

Ichigo was sweating like a whore in church and jumpy as a mouse. What was wrong with him? It could be the fact that he was about to use the same bathroom that Grimmjow used...and stood naked in. He shook his head forcefully as if that would dispel the images that had instantly sprang into his mind, then proceeded to brush his teeth at the sink, absently noticing the gray and white toothbrush in the holder. Grimmjow's toothbrush.

Stripping out of his clothes, he piled them on top of the closed toilet and moved to the large shower, where he stared at the knobs in confusion. No color codes to distinguish the water temperature? How the fuck was he supposed to use this thing? Ichigo experimentally turned the knob on the right and was instantly blasted with ice cold water.

"AARRGH!"

Shiro howled with laughter and Ichigo inwardly cursed. Fucking hell that was cold!

So, after coming to the conclusion that cold was on the right and hot was on the left, he enjoyed what was quite possibly the best shower of his life. Ichigo had used Grimmjow's shampoo and shower gel and relished the smell. Grinning like a fool, he left the shower, dried off and slipped into a red t-shirt and black pajama pants covered with strawberries. They had been a gag gift from Rukia and it was the first time he was wearing them.

Ichigo had been completely unprepared for the sight that greeted him upon entering the bedroom. His heart dropped to his feet, his mouth fell open, and his pile of clothes hit the floor. Grimmjow, his arms trembling from the effort, was trying to prop himself up against the headboard. Ocean blue eyes widened and bright blue eyebrows disappeared into his hairline when he saw Ichigo.

"Ginger?"

XOXOXO

Grimmjow had been in and out of consciousness for a while, but how long, he had no idea. Now and then he would hear voices that sounded familiar, but he never had the strength to open his eyes or speak.

That piece of shit, Sharp, had really tried to kill him. When he'd been puking up his guts and trying to catch his breath, he'd really thought he was a goner. Grimmjow had never been in that much agony in his life. Slowly suffocating as his lungs collapsed and his airway closed was scary as shit.

He remembered dreaming about the entire incident over and over again, like some fucking broken record. He remembered seeing Szayel rushing down the stairs towards him afterward, then seeing Starrk and Nnoitra chasing Ichigo. Although, he thought that last part was more dream than fact. There was no way Ginger had been hurrying towards him looking absolutely pissed. No way.

Grimmjow slowly opened his eyes and licked his lips. Crap. His mouth was dry as a desert, his throat ached like hell, and he had to piss like a fucking racehorse. He surveyed his surroundings as quickly as his stiff neck would allow him to before concluding that he was in his own bedroom in his new apartment.

He tried sitting up, but his weak arms refused to support his upper body, sending him back to the bed. It was then that he noticed the IV leading from his left arm to a heart monitor stand beside the bed. Shit. How long had he been out? Getting pissed at his condition, he forced himself up and was in the process of leaning against the headboard, when movement in his closet doorway caught his eye.

What the fu – oh shit.

"Ginger?" He croaked as his eyes focused on the still figure.

The light from the bathroom illuminated Ichigo's bright orange hair and the tanned skin of his arms, neck and face. Ginger seemed frozen in place, his eyes wide and his mouth open.

"G-Grimmjow?"

Grimmjow chuckled hoarsely at the expression on the younger man's face before looking pointedly at his own arms, then back at Ichigo. "Seems like it," he responded.

Ichigo looked like he was hyperventilating as his eyes darted back and forth between Grimmjow and the bedroom door.

"What are you doing here?"

"U-uh, S-Szayel told me to stay here w-with you," Ginger stuttered. Grimmjow grinned. He would have to thank Pinky later. "A-are you OK?"

"Heh. I guess. Kinda tired, though. Gotta piss."

"Oh."

Before Grimmjow could do anything else, Ichigo had picked up the small pile of clothes at his feet, placed it on the dresser, then moved to his side. Grimmjow frowned. He didn't want the red head's pity; he wasn't fucking helpless. When Ichigo reached out for his arm, he drew back, frown still in place.

"I ain't helpless, Ginger."

Ichigo lifted a brow and smiled derisively. "Oh yeah? Wanna show me?" he asked.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. So, Ginger was calling his bluff, huh? Grimmjow slowly slid his legs over the left side of the bed, but once he did, his breathing became labored and he leaned heavily against the night stand.

"Tch." Grimmjow heard Ichigo chuckle as he lowered himself to the bed next to him. "This ain't fuckin' funny, Ginger."

"Oi! Don't get all pissy with me 'cuz you're all weak right now. You should just be glad you're alive, idiot."

Grimmjow huffed. He didn't mean to take his frustrations out on the red head, but this shit was fucking annoying. He didn't like depending on people for anything. He also knew he should apologize, but he was stubborn and had his pride to think about, so instead, he remained silent.

Ichigo wrapped his arm around Grimmjow's waist and slung Grimmjow's right arm over his shoulders. He started lifting and fell back to the bed, a look of disbelief settling over his features.

"You lost weight and you're still this damned heavy?"

Ichigo's face was right next to his. His breath smelled like toothpaste and his hair smelled like Grimmjow's shampoo. He was warm and the hand gripping Grimmjow's side was sending small shivers up and down his spine.

Damn.


	10. Camaraderie

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Stop being such a baby!"

"Well, it's fuckin' appropriate since babies can't walk!"

"Tch. I still can't believe you pulled that IV out. C'mon, you have to at least try! You're fuckin' heavy and I'm shorter than you!"

"Tch! What game is this, Ginger? Le's name the obvious?"

"I could drop you and leave your ass right here on this nice cold, hard floor!"

"Ya do that and I'll kick yer ass!"

"HA! You can't even walk to the fuckin' toilet."

"Fuck you!"

"You wish."

"..."

 _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit._ Ichigo was already freaking out from finding a very much awake Grimmjow after his shower, and now he had gone and created an extremely awkward silence. He helped Grimmjow lean against the sink and stared at the floor as his face burned. Why the hell had he said that? Ichigo chanced a look at Grimmjow and saw him...smirking? Wasn't he insulted? Ichigo had just questioned the integrity of his man card and the man wasn't pissed? Although he wasn't looking at Ichigo, he was definitely smirking. Instead of trying to figure that out, Ichigo changed the subject.

"So, if you can't walk or even stand up straight on your own, how are you gonna take a piss?"

"Yer gonna hold it for me."

There was a long, charged silence before Ichigo exploded. "The fuck you say?" he screeched as Grimmjow cracked up. He would've slipped to the floor if Ichigo hadn't caught him. "You fuckin' dumbass. That wasn't funny!"

"Like hell it wasn't! Just get me to the toilet and I can handle things from there," Grimmjow said, still chuckling until his chuckles turned into coughs.

"Shit, stop laughing!"

"That's way easier said than done right now, Ginger."

Ichigo grumbled under his breath as he led Grimmjow to the toilet, where the man leaned against the back of it with his left arm and fumbled with his boxers with the right. Ichigo's eyes widened as he whirled around to give Grimmjow some privacy. Was the guy seriously going to whip his dick out with Ichigo looking? Ichigo's mind was in overdrive, but everything burst and scattered like tiny ants when the loud sound of Grimmjow urinating echoed in the silence of the bathroom.

"Mmmmmmm," Grimmjow moaned, sounding downright lusty.

Ichigo had to fight the urge to look over his shoulder, tooth and nail, because it just wouldn't do to get caught peeking. No matter how badly he wanted to. Ichigo heard the toilet flush and turned back to Grimmjow, assisting him to the sink to wash his hands and brush his teeth. As Ichigo watched Grimmjow, he had to admit he was downright ecstatic that the man seemed to be himself and not...what he'd seen earlier. Not to mention, being able to touch and hold him had almost made Ichigo giddy. He was strangely happy around Grimmjow, and even though he was unsure as to why that was, he really didn't care.

Even if they did argue like an old married couple.

"OK, honey. Take me to bed," Grimmjow said after wiping his mouth clean of excess toothpaste.

"You know, that 'leaving you here' threat still stands."

"Ya wouldn't do that ta me, Ginger."

God, the man was fucking insufferable, but Ichigo still couldn't hide his smile.

XOXOXO

If being an invalid meant he would be taken care of by Ginger, then Grimmjow was all for it...and then some. When he had said "fuck you" to Ichigo and Ichigo had responded with "you wish", Grimmjow had wanted to tell him that he had no idea just how _much_ he wished.

"Here, your throat sounds like shit," Ichigo said, thrusting a glass of water under his nose.

Grimmjow grinned as he accepted it. "Thank you, dear."

"You want me to pour that over your fuckin' head?" Ginger asked, blushing deeply.

_How cute._

"No, thanks. If ya wanna get wet, we can just go ta the shower," Grimmjow teased. He loved making the red head blush and get all flustered.

"Arrggh, I think I liked you better when you were unconscious!" Ichigo fumed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Liar. Where's the fun in that?"

Grimmjow downed the water and placed the glass on the nightstand as he let his eyes roam Ichigo's figure. Ginger was wearing a red t-shirt, black pajama pants covered in strawberries and no socks. Grimmjow thought the strawberries were funny and quite ironic. But damn, Ginger was beautiful. Bright orange hair glowing in the lamp and moonlight, soft smile pulling at his full lips. His soft brown eyes were like molten pools of hot chocolate as they regarded Grimmjow, relief shining in their depths. Ichigo's recent blush tinged his cheeks a delightful pink color and Grimmjow could swear he saw a smattering of freckles dusting the bridge of his nose.

Shit. He finally had the red head alone in his home, and he was as weak as a kitten. Grimmjow would have to make up for that with his teasing.

"You need more sleep," Ichigo stated, matter-of-factly.

"Fuck, accordin' ta you, tha's what I've been doing for the past week," Grimmjow grumbled, even as he yawned loudly. "Fine. Ya comin'?" he asked and turned the covers beside him down in invitation.

Ichigo stared as if he was actually contemplating the offer, before shaking his head. "No! Go the hell to sleep, Grimmjow!" he said, still blushing furiously.

Grimmjow sighed dramatically and lay back against the pillows. As soon as his head made contact, he was out.

XOXOXO

Every lead Gin had been given had turned out to be a dead end. He knew the man, Sharp, was trying to lead him around by the nose and so far, the shit was working. Even knowing the man's real name meant absolutely zip. No one knew him. No one had ever heard of him. Or at least that was what he'd been told. It was fucking ridiculous.

Aizen would not be pleased.

Gin pulled out his cell phone to make the inevitably unpleasant call, when he was hit over the head from behind. Before unconsciousness took him, he saw a dark-haired man with dark eyes sneering scornfully down at him.

"Looky, looky, if it ain't Aizen's little lapdog. I'm gonna have fun turning you into dust."

Gin held his phone tightly in his hand and prayed that Aizen was listening.

XOXOXO

Ichigo had set the alarm on his phone for eight o'clock in the morning, but it had been pointless since he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. He'd been so restless and...excited. It made him blush just thinking about the way Grimmjow had been teasing him. Ichigo knew the man had been joking and probably just being nice, but he couldn't help imagining Grimmjow had been serious. Especially when he'd invited Ichigo into bed with him. Dammit, had he known how tempted Ichigo had been?

Then, Ichigo had spent the entire night speculating and alternately scolding himself for doing so, but it was glaringly obvious that he was sexually attracted to Grimmjow. The whole time Ichigo had been assisting him to and from the bathroom, he'd just wanted to run his hands over every inch of the man, and it really hadn't helped matters that Grimmjow had only been wearing a pair deep violet, silk boxers. Ichigo licked his lips. Shit.

He padded to Grimmjow's bedroom and peeked inside. Thankfully, the blue-haired devil was lying with his back facing Ichigo, presumably still asleep. Good. Ichigo had left his toothbrush in the bathroom and he didn't want to wake the man trying to get it. He crept into the bathroom and brushed his teeth as quietly as he could before tip-toeing back out. Ichigo made straight for the kitchen and plundered the fridge, freezer and cabinets. He found pancake mix, eggs and bacon. He also smiled elatedly upon finding a coffee machine with all of the necessary fixings surrounding it. A good old American breakfast sounded excellent at the moment.

After getting the coffee started, he rummaged through the other cabinets and found the pans he needed. Humming as he worked, Ichigo prepared pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon. He had just poured himself a mug of coffee, when he glanced at the kitchen doorway. Grimmjow stood bent slightly at the waist and panting, one hand bracing himself against the door frame. Ichigo's eyes widened and, abandoning his coffee, rushed to the idiot's side. He helped him to one of the tall chairs surrounding the island and glared at him.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" He scolded.

Grimmjow pursed his lips and glared right back. "Oh, I dunno. Possibly the fact that my stomach is practically eating itself and I smelled not only coffee, but food too! I'm fuckin' starvin', Ginger, gimme a break!"

"I thought you couldn't walk?"

"Hunger is a wonderful motivator," Grimmjow said dryly, eyeing the food on the stove.

"I don't think you should be eating solids just yet," Ichigo commented and barely resisted the urge to cower in fear at the murderous look he received.

"Ginger, I don't give a shit what ya think right now. I want summa that food! Now, ya either hand it over nicely, er I break your ass in half. Yer choice."

Grimmjow's eyes glittered with ill-concealed malice and even though Ichigo knew for a fact that the man was weak as cotton, he refused to test that theory and instead fixed him a plate. He watched in fascination as Grimmjow tore into the food, eating ravenously. Was he even chewing? Ichigo hadn't even been halfway done with his own meal, when Grimmjow pushed away an empty plate and sighed gustily.

"I'll have some coffee now, please," he said nicely.

Ichigo snorted. "Oh, what? You're human again?"

Grimmjow just smiled widely. Ichigo moved to get another mug and headed for the coffee machine, uncomfortably aware of Grimmjow's eyes boring into him.

"Two spoons of sugar and a little milk, please."

Ichigo rolled his eyes but did as requested and handed him the cup. Grimmjow grinned again and sipped the drink, sighing happily afterward.

"Ya know, I might just have ta keep ya. Yer a pretty good cook and ya make my coffee just the way I like it, Ginger."

"Stop calling me that! And you can't 'keep' me; I'm not some pet!" Ichigo retorted, feeling his face getting hot.

Grimmjow just shrugged. "Suit yerself."

The following silence wasn't awkward, but comfortable, like the silence between two people used to being around each other for years. It made Ichigo's stomach flutter and get warm. He glanced at Grimmjow and saw him staring off into space with a small smirk tugging at his lips. Damn if everything about the man wasn't sexy.

Just then, Grimmjow turned his head and met Ichigo's not so subtle stare, head-on. Ichigo couldn't look away even if he'd wanted to, once his eyes locked with electric blue, shining with intensity. His tongue became instant sandpaper and his heart kicked into overdrive. Suddenly he felt himself climbing from his seat and moving towards Grimmjow.

A loud knock at the door startled both men out of the spell they'd been under, and Ichigo, smiling sheepishly, left to answer the door. What had he been about to do? His heart was still racing as he opened the door to see a widely grinning Nnoitra and Szayel.

_Szayel._

Without hesitation, Ichigo punched the pink-haired bastard in the face and stepped back to allow Nnoitra access. Szayel fell back onto his ass and glared at Ichigo in disbelief and horror.

"What the hell is your problem?" he yelled.

"You could have just asked me, you asshole!" Ichigo yelled back. Nnoitra was crowing with mirth from behind him.

Szayel touched his bleeding nose tenderly before rising and storming to the bathroom. Nnoitra patted Ichigo's shoulder and sighed.

"Thank you fer makin' my day."

Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. "I told him his ass was mine when I saw him."

At that moment, Grimmjow slowly walked into the living room, and Ichigo thought Nnoitra would faint.

"What the fuck was all the noise for?" Grimmjow asked and plopped tiredly onto the couch.

"Yer up! Yer up and cursin'! Wha-how?" Nnoitra exclaimed.

"Idiot," Grimmjow sighed, but a ghost of a smirk pulled at his lips. Ichigo smiled. Awww. "So what the fuck was all the commotion?"

"Oh, Ichigo here just provided my entertainment fer the day. Punched the shit outta Szayel," Nnoitra grinned.

"More like sucker-punched," Szayel grumbled haughtily as he re-entered the room, little pieces of tissue stuck in his nostrils.

"Can't be a sucker-punch if it was face to face," Ichigo stated. "I gotta go. I got class in two hours."

Ichigo grabbed his bag and moved unconsciously towards the bathroom in Grimmjow's room, not noticing the two pairs of raised eyebrows.

XOXOXO

FUCK! Someone had to just completely ruin whatever had been happening between him and Ginger. Grimmjow wasn't sure, but Ichigo had looked like he'd been wearing a nervous but curious expression as he'd left his seat and started moving towards him. Grimmjow had to tamp down the urge to squirm in his seat in anticipation as the red head came closer...and closer...then that fucking knock at the door had spoiled everything.

He had desperately wanted to reach out and pull Ichigo into him when he'd brushed past Grimmjow to get to the door. This lust wasn't fair. So many times last night and that morning he'd wanted to kiss Ginger's full, soft-looking lips, wanted to run his fingers through those bright orange locks. Seeing Ichigo moving around his kitchen like he'd belonged there, only made him want the red head more. The fact that Ginger could cook was an added bonus.

Grimmjow had been lost in thought, when the sound of yelling assaulted the peaceful silence. Pinky? Ah, and that's Nnoitra's laugh. What the fuck was going on? Suddenly, Szayel stormed past the kitchen without even a glance in his direction. Was that blood? OK, time to investigate.

Grimmjow slowly rose from his seat and tested his legs. After eating, he felt a lot stronger, so they didn't shake as much. He made his way to the living room and scowled at the sight of Nnoitra with his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"What the fuck was all the noise for?"

He almost grinned at the astounded look on Nnoitra's face and the way his mouth opened and closed as Grimmjow fell onto the couch.

"Yer up! Yer up and cursin'! Wha-how?"

"Idiot," he'd sighed. "So what the fuck was all the commotion?"

"Oh, Ichigo here just provided my entertainment fer the day. Punched the shit outta Szayel." Grimmjow grinned. The red head had a temper, huh? Not so surprising.

"More like sucker-punched," Szayel grumbled. Grimmjow was hard-pressed not to laugh out loud at the sight of Szayel with pieces of tissue hanging out of his nose.

"Can't be a sucker-punch if it was face to face. I gotta go. I got class in two hours," Ichigo said before grabbing his bag and disappearing into Grimmjow's bedroom.

He didn't miss the raised eyebrows and pointed stares that Pinky and Nnoitra were giving him, but he would deal with that momentarily. Something was wrong with Ginger. He'd seemed cranky, angry even. Grimmjow frowned. He didn't like seeing Ichigo like that.

"Well. Not only are you up and about, but it seems like your libido has not suffered from the ordeal," Szayel stated coyly.

"Damn. Is that why you can barely walk?" Nnoitra asked, his voice amused. "So, how many times does that make now?"

Grimmjow frowned. "What the fuck are you idiots talkin' about?" he asked irritably, but was met with two blank stares.

"It's obvious yer bangin' 'im, Grimm. 'Specially after the way he acted at the fight. I almost couldn't get him offa that guy," Nnoitra claimed.

Now Grimmjow was really confused. "I'm not bangin' him, you idiot. Now what are you talkin' about? What happened at the fight? Were you and Starrk really chasin' him?"

Nnoitra stared at him before finally answering. "Yeah. He went all Incredible Hulk on the guy ya fought, and smashed his face in. He's a strong little fucker when he's good 'n riled up. Like I said, I almost couldn't pull him away."

Grimmjow swallowed, then fought and lost miserably to keep the grin from spreading across his face. Ginger had defended him. Why did that knowledge please him so much?

"Ohhh, ya wanna bang 'im, ya jus' haven't gotten 'round to it yet," Nnoitra interrupted Grimmjow's thoughts.

Before he could respond, Ichigo re-emerged from his bedroom looking downright edible. Ginger had on a khaki-colored, long-sleeved thermal shirt, under a brown, down vest, and blue and khaki-colored, stone-washed jeans. Brown Chucks completed the outfit. Ichigo's hair was still damp, his face still flushed from the warmth of the shower and he had his black bag slung over his shoulder.

Their gazes met and Grimmjow swore he read disappointment and reluctance in the red head's soft brown eyes. He almost looked like he didn't want to leave.

"So, I guess I'll see ya around," Ichigo said quietly.

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the left. "What? No good-bye kiss?" he teased.

Ginger turned bright red, making Grimmjow grin widely. "Fuck off, idiot."

A very flustered younger man stalked to the door and left, slamming it behind himself.

"He wants ya," Nnoitra pointed out.

"How c'n ya tell?" Grimmjow asked, genuinely curious.

"Shit, Grimm, it's obvious. Yer just blind is all."

"Not blind," he mumbled before stretching out on the couch, his eyes drifting shut. Did Ginger really want him in return? He wasn't getting his hopes up for nothing...right? He drifted off to Nnoitra saying something about a cell phone he'd gotten for him.

XOXOXO

Sosuke Aizen was pissed. Everyone on his office floor knew it and did their best to stay far away from the man. It was very rare to see Aizen in such a bad mood and it caused the rumor and gossip mills to overload with speculations. Shawlong Qufang made his way through the empty corridor to Aizen's office before cautiously knocking on the door.

"Come," was the short command.

Shawlong entered the office and bowed before Aizen respectfully. Aizen nodded and reclined in his seat as he rested his chin on his fist. "Shawlong-san, it's been quite some time since I was in need of your services."

"Yes it has. How may I be of service this time?" he asked carefully. He really didn't like the look on Aizen's face. The man's cold brown eyes were hard and angry, even though he was wearing a friendly smile.

"I need you to retrieve Gin from this man," Aizen replied without preamble as he slid a photo across his large mahogany desk.

Shawlong held the photo up and studied the man in the picture. Dark hair, dark eyes, medium build. Nothing very significant about him. "May I keep this as a reference?" he asked.

Aizen nodded. "By all means, please do. I do not need to stress the urgency in this matter, do I?"

"No, Aizen, sir," Shawlong responded. In all actuality, by Aizen making that statement, he had indeed stressed just how urgent the situation was.

Aizen was worried. Shawlong should have guessed it had something to do with Aizen's golden boy, Gin Ichimaru. For someone to have taken advantage of the dangerous, silver-haired man was serious.

"That will be all, Shawlong-san."

"Yes, sir," he stated, bowed and took his leave.

Now, he had to find Gin and hope he was still alive for the sake of everyone around Aizen.

XOXOXO

Ichigo's mind was totally fucked. A whole week had passed since the night he'd stayed at Grimmjow's place and he was scared and confused about how he was feeling. But wait, you're probably confused, so let's backtrack, shall we?

A Week Ago

Ichigo had gone to class, but his mind was far from his studies. All he kept seeing was Grimmjow's smile. All he kept hearing was his voice and contagious laughter. And since he'd showered again that morning using Grimmjow's shampoo and shower gel, all he could smell was him.

He was hopelessly distracted and seated on a bench in the recreational area at the university, when Renji plopped down beside him. It had taken Ichigo five whole minutes to realize his friend was there and when he did, Renji was giving him an amused stare.

"R-Renji!"

"Ah! So you _are_ alive! And here I thought you were a statue."

"Shut up. I was just a little distracted, that's all," Ichigo grumbled as Renji chuckled. "How have you been? How's Byakuya?"

Renji grinned as if he knew Ichigo was purposely changing the subject and decided to have mercy on him.

"I'm good. He's good. We're good. Everything's good. Question is: how are you? Ya know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think ya were seein' someone," Renji teased.

Ichigo couldn't hide his blush. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hunh. Sure you don't. Well, when you _do_ know what I'm talking about, you'll let me know, right?" Renji prodded, to which Ichigo nodded.

"Yeah."

They sat in companionable silence until Ichigo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He frowned. Everyone he knew, knew that he was in class, so who the hell would be calling him? Renji watched him curiously with a raised brow as Ichigo pulled out the device. Glancing at the screen, he noticed it was a text message and not a call, and also that he didn't recognize the number. But the message itself told him everything he needed to know.

_Heyya Ginger_

Ichigo felt his belly twist, suddenly filling with butterflies, and his heart skipped a beat. Grimmjow? How did he get his number?

_How did you get this number?_

Ichigo glanced around as if he half-expected the man to jump out and hit him.

_Bribed Pinky_

Ichigo shook his head in disgust before replying.

_So what? Did you text me to be a pain in my ass?_

_Hmm...I could be. That what ya want?_

_You're disgusting_

Ichigo could picture the man laughing uproariously. However, Ichigo was having a hard time keeping his blood pressure in check.

_No one wants ta babysit me anymore, so I thought I'd ask my Ginger._

Ichigo blushed furiously and caught Renji's amused and knowing gaze.

"So, Ichigo. Still not seeing someone?" he asked.

Ichigo sighed in defeat. "I'm not seeing the prick, he's just..." but he let his voice trail off as he realized that Renji's eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline. Right on cue, his phone went off.

_Well?_

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

_I'm not your Ginger! And you don't need babysitting!_

"Ichigo, are you...are you...do you like guys?" Renji asked in disbelief, and Ichigo just knew his face would never go back to its original tone.

"I-I think so," he replied. "Can we talk later, Renji? I don't wanna do this right now."

"Yeah, OK. Uh, you're busy anyway. Just call me, I guess."

Ichigo nodded as Renji left him alone. Now he could concentrate on this idiot.

_I do too! What if I fall and break somethin'?_

Ichigo laughed and shook his head.

_What are you, eighty?_

_Eighty-four actually. So, ya comin'?_

Ichigo blew out an exasperated breath. Who was he kidding? He wanted to see Grimmjow again and the sooner the better.

_Fine_

_Yosh! Ya gonna cook me dinner too, Ginger?_

_Not if you keep calling me that_

_C'mon, ya like it_

_Whatever. I'll see you later_

_Yeah_

Ichigo felt like a kid in a candy store. Even if Grimmjow was only being nice and wasn't even remotely attracted to him, Ichigo would take advantage of his company. What was happening to him?

Present

In the week that followed, he had been by Grimmjow's place everyday. They watched action flicks and played Guitar Hero and Street Fighter IV on the Playstation 3. Grimmjow would call him a cheater _anytime_ Ichigo won; it was hilarious. He was a terrible loser. Hell, Ichigo had even gotten friendlier with Nnoitra. Grimmjow was pretty much back to normal. His tanned complexion had returned and he'd regained his lost weight, "thanks ta you and yer cookin' Ginger," he'd said at the time, making it even more difficult for Ichigo to keep his hands to himself.

Ichigo had come to the conclusion that he liked Grimmjow and liked him a lot. They were a lot alike, except Grimmjow was more...brash in his ways. Ichigo just thought it was endearing. Crikey, he had it bad. He was such a fucking girl.

That morning, he'd been on his way to class when he'd opened his door to find Ulquiorra raising his fist to knock.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.

Ulquiorra's wide green eyes sparkled, showing the closest thing to amusement Ichigo had ever seen in the man. "It is time, Ichigo-san. Tonight is your debut appointment as the Septima Espada."


	11. Debut and Disaster

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Sir, we have a problem in the parking garage," Kaname Tousen stated upon entering Aizen's office.

Tousen prided himself on being nearly fearless, but when it came to Sosuke Aizen, he knew true terror. The man rarely – if ever – did his own dirty work, but if need be, he would step in. If that need arose, he was ruthless, mowing down man, woman, boy and girl until he felt the issue resolved.

Tousen was aware of the current abduction of Gin, and also of the fact that Aizen had given Shawlong Qufang the job of finding him. Which meant, this current development would not be welcome, and frankly, Tousen was more than a little afraid to relay it.

"What sort of problem?" the man asked smoothly.

Tousen gulped. Here it got difficult. "S-Shawlong Qufang's body was found on level 3 with this disc attached to his clothing. It said to be delivered directly to you, Aizen, sir."

Tousen's entire body was rigid with fear. As soon as the words "Shawlong Qufang's body" had left his mouth, the air in the room seemed to drop several degrees in temperature.

"Give it to me."

Tousen carefully edged forward and held the disc out. When it was taken from his hand, he stepped back swiftly.

"Wait in the reception area. I will call you when I am ready for you."

Aizen's words were clipped, his voice taut. Tousen hurried from the office, knowing that if that disc and Shawlong's dead body were any indication, things were only going to get far worse.

XOXOXO

"Renji, how did you know you liked Byakuya in-in a sexual sort of way?" Ichigo nervously asked his friend, who merely laughed.

"The same way you know when you like anyone that way. Just 'cuz he's a guy doesn't make any difference. I thought he was hot and I realized I wouldn't mind havin' sex with him."

Ichigo was baffled. "You didn't freak out or anything?"

"For what? I mean, it was weird and I was shocked as shit at first, but fuck, the body wants what it wants. Then, once the heart gets involved, you can forget it," Renji replied softly, picking a piece of lint off of his jeans.

Ichigo sat in silence as he thought about what he wanted. His body definitely wanted Grimmjow in the worst way. His heart was a little more tricky. Sure, he liked the man, but that didn't have anything to do with his heart. That was lust, through and through. Ichigo heard Shiro sigh long and hard.

'What the fuck's your problem?' he asked irritably.

'King, ya forget I live here too er somethin'?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Ya ain't jus' feelin' lust for Grimm.'

'Why are you calling him that?' Ichigo asked, a little disturbed.

'Cuz you want to.'

'Urrgghh, we'll talk about this later.'

Ichigo heard Shiro sigh again before he returned his full attention to Renji.

"How did you know you had...feelings...for Byakuya? It wasn't just lust?" Ichigo's curiosity had put him past feeling embarrassed or ashamed about what he was asking his friend.

Renji scratched his chin with a thoughtful expression. "Actually, I didn't. They just sorta sneaked up on me. In the beginning, I did think it was only lust and that I would probably get over it or get bored, but then one night we had this big ass argument about I forget what, and Byakuya had stormed outta my place all pissed off. At first, I was stubborn 'cuz, pride ya know? Then after a week of not seein' him, I got all...I don't know what to call it, but my chest kept feelin' tight and my stomach would feel weird whenever I thought about him. If I thought about never seein' him again, shit, it fuckin' hurt. I tried denyin' it and all, but...I couldn't. Denyin' it just made it worse. Then, next thing I knew, I was on my way out the door to go see him and...he was there," Renji gave a breathy chuckle. "He felt the same way I did."

Ichigo sat as still as a stone. His friend had just more or less confessed to being in love with another man with a straight face, not an ounce of embarrassment or shame to be seen. Then again, Renji had also said Byakuya felt the same way. Ichigo didn't even know if Grimmjow liked men or not. Although he did tease the hell out of him, Ichigo didn't think the man was serious.

"Well, how did you know he was gay?" he asked timidly.

Renji looked up in surprise as if he'd forgotten Ichigo was there. "Hell, I didn't. It was weird 'cuz the day Rukia introduced him to everyone, I knew I was attracted, but I didn't know shit about him. I went to the bathroom, and he came in after me askin' me for my name and tellin' me it was nice to meet me. Then about a month later, he approached me at the bookstore, sayin' he wanted to talk to me. Gave him a call and well...ahem...we, uh..." Renji trailed off, face turning scarlet.

Ichigo joined him in the blushing when he realized the implications of that statement. "O-oh. I-I get it. How-"

"I'm sorry, Ich, but I gotta draw the line there," Renji said quietly.

Ichigo smirked. "Shy?"

Renji snorted. "I don't kiss and tell, you freak."

They both doubled over with laughter and Ichigo was amazed at how at ease he felt discussing his sexual preference with his friend. Whether it was because Renji had experience in the situation or what, he was unsure, but he was glad he could talk to him.

"Does it feel weird having sex with a guy?" he couldn't help asking.

That thought had been bugging him ever since he realized he wanted to...be intimate...with Grimmjow.

Renji chuckled. "Depends on the position," he said devilishly.

"What do you-OH! Y-you mean, um, who, uh..." Ichigo didn't quite know how to phrase it.

"Who wants to bottom and who wants to top? Sometimes couples alternate positions too," Renji supplied and immediately started roaring at the look on Ichigo's face.

Ichigo thought it over and finally came to the devastating conclusion that if he ever was...intimate...with Grimmjow, he would be the bottom because he just couldn't see Grimmjow letting anyone even think about...Christ.

"It's not as bad as you think, Ich."

"How would you know? Unless...oh shit! Renji! You-"

"Alright, so fuckin' what! Just cuz I'm the one takin' it doesn't mean I'm a bitch or whatever," Renji shouted defensively and Ichigo dissolved into laughter.

Even Shiro was snickering. "I didn't say you were, idiot! Jeez. So...does it hurt a lot?"

Renji cocked a brow. "Ya know, Ich, you sure are kinda curious about being a bottom." Ichigo blushed furiously and glared at Renji. "So, who's the guy?"

"You don't know him."

"No shit, that's why I asked."

"I'm not ready to divulge that information yet," Ichigo said stiffly.

Renji cracked up. "The fuck was that? Shit, I'm not the cops! Just tell me when ya want."

Ichigo nodded and they sat in silence. Out of nowhere, his thoughts went to his upcoming debut. He'd already let Shinji know and the fool was ecstatic, claiming he would bring pom poms and be Ichigo's personal cheerleader. He would kill Shinji ten shades of dead if he did that, and not even feel bad about it.

Ichigo wondered what his opponent was like. Tall, short, skinny, big? All the suspense was enough to give him gray hair, but damn if he wasn't excited. He also wondered if Grimmjow would be there. He hoped so. Then, he realized something.

"Oi, you never told me if it hurts a lot."

Renji grinned wolfishly. "I'll let you see for yourself."

"Bastard," Ichigo pouted as Renji cackled.

XOXOXO

He would give it a little bit longer until he was sure the red head would be ripe for picking. All that week Ichigo had been keeping Grimmjow company and Grimmjow learned something that distressed him. It was one thing to lust after the red head, but it was an entirely different ball game to actually...like...him.

Two days ago, Ichigo had come by as usual and had been doing his homework at the island in the kitchen, while he and Nnoitra played Left 4 Dead on his XBOX 360. After Grimmjow's character had met a particularly grisly demise, he'd decided to go check on the younger man. He'd stood in the doorway and watched Ichigo chewing on a pen top, brow furrowed as he scribbled in a notebook, thinking how good he looked there. Then Ichigo had glanced up, startled at first, before giving him a devastating smile. Grimmjow had felt his chest tighten considerably.

He'd shrugged it off at the time as just being immensely attracted to the red head before going to grab a beer from the fridge. That wasn't the only instance he'd felt like there was something more to his feelings for Ichigo, though. Every time the red-head cooked for him, every time he smiled, every time he laughed, hell, every time he looked at him made Grimmjow's heart do a funny little flip.

Then, that same day, Nnoitra had gone off early claiming he was going to get some action after receiving a text message. Grimmjow had a feeling there was something going on with his friend, but he'd been too distracted with Ichigo to notice.

Ichigo had returned to the living room right before Nnoitra had gone, and had been seated to the right of Grimmjow on the long black couch. Once the taller, dark-haired man had disappeared behind the front door, they'd started watching some Kung Fu flick, but maybe twenty minutes into the movie, Grimmjow had felt a sudden weight on his right shoulder. Glancing over, he noticed Ichigo had fallen asleep and had been using his shoulder as a pillow. Grimmjow hadn't been able to move even if he'df tried so instead, he'd sat and listened to the quiet snores of the red head.

He'd lifted his right hand from under Ichigo's side and run his fingers through that bright orange hair, only to find it feather soft, the scalp warm. The red head's hair smelled like coconuts and his breath was fluttering against Grimmjow's shoulder. Grimmjow had leaned over and pressed a kiss against those velvety spikes and instead of feeling boiling lust, he'd felt...affection. He'd felt comfortable. _Content_. It confused and worried the hell out of him. He'd never felt _anything_ for _anyone_ and he wasn't sure he wanted to start now. That thought in mind, he'd moved away and awakened the red head, informing him he would take him home. Then, Ulquiorra had informed Grimmjow earlier in the day that Ichigo's debut as the Septima Espada would take place that evening, and he wanted to go. He couldn't wait to see how Ichigo and not Shiro fought.

XOXOXO

Aizen had never, ever, in all of his existence felt as pissed, devastated, and infuriatingly helpless as he did right then. He'd watched as that asshole, Sharp, had beaten and utterly humiliated Gin. Sharp had made sure to completely break Gin's spirit by torturing him, breaking each of his fingers, punching his face until his nose broke with a sickening crunch and his eyes were swollen shut. Then Sharp had smiled into the camera and raped Gin. He could still hear the desperate pleas and the agonized screams.

Sharp had then proceeded to tell Aizen where he could "pick up his trash" before the video went blank. Rage consumed him as he rose from his office chair. No one that knew who he was, would dare to even think of attempting such a feat, and yet this...this _ingrate_ , had actually gone through with it. Imbecile! Sharp obviously had no idea who he was dealing with, but Aizen had every intention of enlightening him as to why people feared him.

And Gin. Aizen would never forgive himself for allowing this situation to spiral so far out of control. He should have contained the threat when it first presented itself. Now the silver-haired man would never be the same.

"Tousen!" Aizen barked as he strode through the reception area, a dark aura emanating from him and causing the employees to scurry away in fear.

"Yes, Aizen, sir?" Tousen answered as he made his way to Aizen's side.

"You will accompany me to retrieve Gin."

"Yes, sir."

XOXOXO

Ichigo couldn't contain his excitement. Nor did it help matters, that he could feel Shiro inside his mind twittering with anxiety and anticipation for the upcoming fight.

Ichigo was currently at Hueco Mundo in the Espada changing room, slipping into a pair of the customary black drawstring pants. His muscles kept twitching, making him realize that he was getting antsier and antsier.

 _Shit, calm down, calm down. We're going soon_.

Ichigo stuffed his clothes into his black duffel bag and set it down in the space with his name on it. The place looked and felt like a professional sport's locker room; he was pretty proud to have his own spot here. Once he finished changing, he headed back to the arena, anxiety reaching its peak. The two oafs at the doors quickly let him inside and the minute he stepped through, he was overwhelmed. Ear-splitting screams and cheers emanated from the torrent of people surrounding the pit, making him dance in place, eyes glimmering. Finally, he was able to tear his gaze from the pit to glance at the platform. Every last Espada was present. It gave Ichigo chills knowing that they had all shown up to watch him fight, but he covered it with a grin.

"Aw, I'm flattered," he drawled.

"Ya should be. I could be sleepin' right now," Nnoitra muttered crankily over a yawn.

"Nnoi, you're such a grouch," Nel admonished.

"Don't fuckin'-"

"Yeah, yeah, don't call you that. Anyway, Itsyugo, we came to cheer you on," she continued.

Ichigo smiled, ignoring the way she butchered his name, and caught Shinji's enthusiastic gaze. His smile faltered as he glared at the blond, relaying with his eyes that if Shinji had brought pom poms, Ichigo would castrate him. Shinji just rolled his eyes and returned to his conversation with...Starrk? Hmm...had Shinji finally gotten the man in his clutches?

Then, as they always did when in the same room, Ichigo's eyes were pulled to orbs bluer than the sky on a clear summer day. Grimmjow was leering at him, his gaze alternating between Ichigo's face and torso. He wanted to smile because that meant Grimmjow at the very least thought he was good-looking. Right?

"You want me to help tape your hands and feet?" Nel asked.

Ichigo shrugged, his eyes still helplessly locked with Grimmjow's. After he took a seat beside Nel, she made short work of the task and in less than three minutes, he was ready for the pit.

"Nervous?"

Ichigo trembled and gave Grimmjow a shaky grin. "That obvious?"

"Hell yeah. Plus you bite your lip a lot when you're nervous."

"I'm not scared or anything, I just don't wanna look like an idiot down there."

Grimmjow gripped his shoulder gently and gave him a toothy smirk. "You'll do fine. Just kick his ass."

In that moment, Ichigo wanted to lean forward and capture the man's lips in a grateful kiss. Grimmjow had managed to calm him down and reassure him all at the same time. He licked his lips and noticed how Grimmjow's eyes followed the motion with what Ichigo could only describe as hunger. They were still staring each other down when Starrk politely cleared his throat, expression clearly amused.

"Ichigo, it's time."

XOXOXO

Aizen sped down the road in his gray Mercedes Benz S550 Sedan. He would never admit to the fear he felt at the moment. He and Tousen were close to where Sharp had informed him he could find Gin, but if Gin was dead...

 _No_. He would not allow those types of thoughts to plague him at a time such as this. He screeched to a halt underneath a deserted highway overpass and his hands tightened around the steering wheel.

_The nerve!_

Gin was tied to a metal make-shift cross, head hanging lifelessly. Aizen cursed and shoved the driver's door open before hurrying to the silver-haired man's side. Tousen quickly followed. The brunet hurriedly undid the binds holding him up and carefully lowered him to the ground. He checked Gin's pulse and breathed a sigh of relief. At least the man was still alive. Aizen dug in his pocket for his cell phone and dialed Szayel.

"Yes, Aizen, Sir?"

"My office in twenty."

"Yes, Sir."

XOXOXO

_No. Fucking. Way_. This was his fucking _opponent_? What type of sick joke was this? Surely, they were mistaken!

Ichigo stared in disbelief at the man standing across from him in the pit. Not only did the Espada expect him to fight, but they expected him to _win_ against this...this _monster_? The man was _huge_. Probably 6'4", but every ounce of him was pure hulking muscle. He wore his black hair sectioned off into these ridiculous-looking spikes, and an eye-patch covered his right eye. His face was sharp and angular. In short, Ichigo was certain he would have nightmares about the man.

"Tonight's main event will be Tokyo's Kenpachi Zaraki versus Karakura's new Septima Espada, Ichigoooo Kurosaaaakiiiiiiiiii!" Menoly announced. "Rules are: no weapons or foreign substances; other than that, anything goes! Now gentlemen, bow. Let's fight!"

Ichigo didn't know what to do. The pressure rolling off of the guy was immense, and he was ashamed to admit that he was incredibly intimidated. The man was grinning insanely and not moving a muscle.

"Ain't ya gonna hit me?" he asked.

Ichigo visibly swallowed, but held his ground.

'Oi, King, yer frozen stiff. Get movin!' Shiro commanded.

'I-I know but...look at this guy! He can't be human!'

'Bullshit! King, ya better get yer fuckin' ass in gear! I ain't gonna stand fer ya makin' us look bad!'

Ichigo understood, but he was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack and could do nothing other than stare at his opponent.

"THE FUCK, GINGER? KICK HIS ASS!" a deep, gruff voice hollered, slicing through the commotion of the crowd with ease.

Ichigo glanced up at the Espada platform and saw Grimmjow leaning against the railing, scowling fiercely down at him. Ichigo's tense muscles relaxed as he smirked and flipped Grimmjow the bird. He noticed the blue-haired man smile before he returned his attention to his opponent, the man still waiting patiently with that scary ass grin.

"Ready ta play now?"

Ichigo smiled and nodded. He wouldn't be a fool, though. Rushing at this ox of a man was ludicrous and completely out of the question. He didn't need to dwell on that long, however, before the man was suddenly directly in front of him.

_Oh shit!_

Ichigo back-flipped away, dodging a fierce left hook, and landed in a crouch on all fours. _Fast! OK, calm down. Just watch his feet_. Kenpachi advanced on Ichigo at a frightening speed and it took everything Ichigo had just to dodge what looked to be crippling blows. _This is insane!_

'King! Ya gonna run all day er what? Let's kick this fucker's ass! Quit being so fuckin' scared!' Shiro ranted.

Scared? Was that why he wasn't as fast as he normally was? Suddenly, he was sent skidding across the ground from a hard right kick. He lay on his left side, clutching his chest, stunned. He felt like his torso had abruptly collapsed, bones and all. He glanced up in time to have his face snapped to the right from another powerful kick, spraying blood from his mouth and nose across the ground.

'KING! KING! Ya gotta get up! Don't let this guy push ya around!'

'It hurts.'

'C'mon, King, I know it hurts, but ya've been through worse. Jus' think of it like this: at least now ya know how hard he hits, so ya've got nothin' ta be scared 'bout.'

Shiro was right. Even though it hurt, he could deal with it because he had taken far worse at Seireitei. He stumbled to his feet, shaking his head slightly to clear the cobwebs and wiped at the blood on his face. He knew he had only made it worse by smearing it around, but fuck it. Closing his eyes, he gathered his bearings and tuned out the noises coming from the crowd. Slowly he began to notice the minute smells and sounds coming from his opponent. The faint smell of metal and the soft rustling of fabric as the man neared him. Not yet.

A little more.

A little closer.

NOW!

Ichigo, eyes still closed, spun to his right, dodging a blow and simultaneously bringing his leg around to connect with the man's nose. He opened his eyes in time to see Kenpachi stagger backwards, grabbing his nose. Ichigo wasted no time in rushing him with a flying scissor kick that sent the man falling to his ass. He rushed at Kenpachi as the man slowly rose to his feet, not noticing the sinister grin spreading across the man's sharp face. Before Ichigo could do anything, Kenpachi grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off of his feet.

_Shit!_

Ichigo panicked and began thrashing his legs and clawing at the man's hand, eyes wide as he gasped for air. Kenpachi was strangling him and it made his head light, his vision fuzzy. Sounds were becoming warbled and distorted.

_Shit, shit, SHIT!_

'KING!'

Ichigo could feel his heart slowing and his thrashing weakening. Was this it for him? What a fucking waste. He didn't even get a chance to prove himself.

'KING!'

His eyes slowly slid closed, arms hanging limply at his sides.

'S-Shiro...help me.'

'Tch, took ya long enough.'

XOXOXO

"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING, YOU DEPRESSED LITTLE SHIT!"

"Kenpachi misrepresented himself. I would not intentionally endanger Ichigo-san. Would you kindly let go of me, Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra calmly stated.

"Tch, this is bullshit!"

Grimmjow was beside himself with fury. He'd known as soon as he'd seen the red head's opponent that the guy would be too much for him. Grimmjow remembered losing to the sadistic creep in a street fight a bunch of years ago. He knew just how strong and intimidating the man was, so, seeing the red head freeze up hadn't been surprising. He'd decided to help as best as he could by hopefully making Ichigo mad enough to snap out of it. It had worked a little, but the red head had still been overwhelmed.

When Grimmjow saw Ichigo's blood flying, a deep burning rage began licking at his insides. The rage had been accompanied by a feeling he was completely unfamiliar with: fear. It roiled and festered in his gut. He didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. After Ichigo had landed a few blows, Grimmjow's worry only escalated. Kenpachi _liked_ that shit. Case and point, when he'd grabbed the red head by the throat and started strangling him. Grimmjow couldn't watch anymore. Ichigo was losing the struggle and if someone didn't stop the shit, his Ginger would die. And that was unacceptable. He was headed for the stairs when Starrk stepped in front of him.

Grimmjow growled dangerously. "I don't wanna fight you, Starrk, but I will if you don't move," he said quietly.

Starrk only shook his head. "I know that you're worried about Ichigo, but you can't just go running down there in the middle of a fight. This isn't like what happened with you. According to house rules, Kenpachi isn't cheating."

Grimmjow clenched his teeth, hands drawing into fists. _Fuck that_. He wouldn't let the red head die.

Rather abruptly, there was a loud roaring cry from the pit. All eyes focused on the two fighters and mouths dropped. Ichigo had Kenpachi's arm bent at an unnatural angle while the man cowered on his knees. Suddenly, there was loud, sickening crack as Ichigo broke Kenpachi's arm and followed it with a mule-kick to his face. Kenpachi crumpled unmoving to the ground.

 _Well, damn_.

XOXOXO

"How is he?" Aizen asked softly.

Szayel sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. "He's alive. He'll be in a lot of pain when he wakes up, but I've supplied a morphine drip to help with that. All of his fingers were broken, so was his nose and three of his ribs. He had some internal bleeding and the blood vessels in his rectum were ruptured. It will be a while before he fully recovers, but he will."

"Thank you, Szayel. I'll keep him here. This is the safest place for him since no one has been able to breach Hueco Mundo as of yet."

"Yes, Sir. I'll be by to check on him everyday."

Aizen nodded as he watched Szayel take his leave from the office. He had a migraine. Digging in his desk drawer for the aspirin he kept there, he quietly fumed. He should be grateful that Gin was even alive but he couldn't stop himself from being thoroughly pissed. Swallowing two of the pills dry, he moved to the chaise Szayel had transformed into a mini-hospital bed and stared down at the silver-haired man. Seeing Gin not wearing his trademark, eye-closing grin was disturbing enough, but seeing him in his present condition was infinitely worse. The brunet sat beside him on the chaise and ran his fingers through the satiny, silver hair. How long had Gin been loyal to him? Nine years now? He hadn't deserved this fate and it infuriated Aizen, knowing that this had happened because of him. Oh, he was far from stupid. Aizen knew who Sharp was and why he had attacked the men he had, which was why it made him so angry.

"All of this could have been avoided. I'm sorry, Gin," he spoke gently and leaned forward, kissing the younger man's forehead. "I won't let this go unsettled."

It had been six years since Aizen had last stepped into the fray. Apparently, the need had arisen once more.

XOXOXO

'King, ya OK in there?'

Shiro still stood in the middle of the pit even though Ichigo had already been declared the winner. Shiro was trying to get a response from him so King could take credit for his first fight as an Espada, but it seemed like he was still unconscious from the lack of air earlier. Shiro slowly made his way up the stairs, away from the pit. That had been way too close. King was too damned stubborn for his own good. Shiro had known the orange-haired man was going to need his help the moment they'd lain eyes on the guy. He had recognized the strength and wildness coming from him and knew the pressure would crush King.

King had done better than he'd expected him to, though.

Suddenly, Shiro could feel Ichigo stirring and after breathing a sigh of relief, paused mid-way up the stairs.

'Ya scared the crap outta me, King,' he stated as he retreated into Ichigo's mind.

'S'rry 'bout tha'.'

'Ya don't sound too good. Ya need ta lie down.'

'Mm tired.'

Without warning, Ichigo's arm slipped from the wall that had been holding him upright, and he started sliding to the floor. Two strong arms instantly caught him around the waist and gently hauled him upwards.

"I got ya, Ginger."


	12. I Need You (Part One)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Fuck, his head felt like a cracked open melon. Or at least, the way he _thought_ it would feel. His jaw ached and throbbed in time to his pulse, and his neck was sore as hell. In case you didn't get it, Ichigo felt like shit.

He rolled onto his right side and had to smother a yelp from the intense pain radiating from his chest. Christ, that Kenpachi guy had really done a number on him. The last thing Ichigo remembered was being strangled, silently asking for Shiro's help and then sleep – like a heavy blanket – enveloping him. He didn't even remember what had happened after the fight or how he'd gotten home, for that matter. Ichigo only vaguely remembered a pair of arms holding him up before he fell unconscious.

At that moment, he realized he wasn't alone in his bedroom like he'd initially thought. Someone was asleep in one of his kitchen chairs that had been set a few feet away from the bed. Ichigo squinted and blinked away the last remnants of sleep before his eyes widened as they settled on a shock of blue hair. Grimmjow was seated in the chair in an uncomfortable-looking position: shoulders hunched, head hanging down and long legs stretched out before him. His chin was pressed against his chest, his arms hung limply at his sides, his hair fell across his brow and covered his eyes, and his mouth was slightly parted. Ichigo smirked when he noticed a small amount of drool gathered in the corner of the blue-haired man's mouth. Even drooling, he was beautiful. Ichigo, after the heart-to-heart with Renji, had accepted the fact that he may feel more than lust for Grimmjow. He just hadn't had a chance to pull the idea out of his brain, and poke and prod at it until it made sense. Shit, he was such a fucking girl, but that didn't change the fact that his head was awash with unfamiliar emotions, all because of the blue-haired menace before him. Way to go, Ichigo. He didn't even know the man's sexual preference and yet here he was crushing on him insanely hard.

Ichigo rolled onto his back, stuck his arms behind his head and scowled at the ceiling. He had to find a way to tell Grimmjow how he felt. His stomach clenched at the thought of being rejected, but he shoved the feeling aside. He _had_ to do it. He couldn't take the second-guessing and not knowing. He would just have to bite the bullet and take the risk of diving head-first into the unknown while praying for the best. Even if he was rejected, at least he would know. He would deal with the consequences afterward, no matter how much it may hurt. And it most definitely would hurt if the way his stomach turned and chest tightened and burned were any indications.

"What'd the ceiling do to you?" Grimmjow's deep, sleep-ridden voice mumbled. "And how long you been up?"

Ichigo jumped and turned to face his crush. Grimmjow grimaced as he rolled his neck around and rotated his shoulders before sitting up straight. His half-lidded gaze sent shivers marching down Ichigo's spine.

"I only woke up a few minutes ago," he answered.

Grimmjow blinked. "So what're you frowning for?"

"Jus' thinkin'. What are you doing here?"

"Well, you took care of me when I was broken, so I thought I'd return the favor."

"Oh."

For some reason, Ichigo felt disappointed at the man's answer. Well, honestly, what had he been expecting? Of course, Grimmjow would feel indebted to him. The guy wasn't doing it because he liked him or something. Ichigo didn't notice the slight frown sent his way as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and slowly tried to stand. Aside from the pain in his jaw, neck and chest, he was fine. A little dizzy, but nothing too serious. It was then that he noticed he was only wearing a pair of light-blue boxers and straining significantly against the thin cotton fabric. His face ignited as he heard Grimmjow's soft chuckle.

"Shut up, idiot!" he snapped and stalked off to the bathroom.

Fucking jerk.

XOXOXO

Shinji cracked an eye open at the bright sunlight sneaking through his curtains and groaned loudly. He was so comfortable buried under his thick comforter. He was thankful he didn't have any classes, but he did have to work later on in the afternoon. He peeked at the digital clock on the nightstand and sighed. 9:30 AM. A pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, making him grin like the cat that ate the canary. He rested his hands on top of the arms and snuggled back to chest against Starrk. The man nuzzled his hair and promptly continued snoring. Shinji didn't understand how such a lazy man could be so strong.

The night before at Ichigo's fight, Shinji had finally broken down and told Starrk that he liked him. A lot. He'd been flabbergasted when the man had only given a sexy smirk and told him it was about time he'd said something. After Shinji nearly had a heart attack during Ichigo's fight with that insane character, Starrk had offered to give him and the injured Ichigo a ride. Grimmjow had only agreed to the arrangement because he couldn't take Ichigo on his motorcycle, but he _did_ follow them to Ichigo's apartment. Starrk had then taken Shinji home with the blond twitching involuntarily with excitement. Once they'd arrived, Shinji had invited Starrk up and, after stumbling through the door like blind men, proceeded to have the best sex he'd ever experienced. Words couldn't express how ridiculously happy he was to finally have the man he had shamelessly lusted after for so long, but...he couldn't help but worry about Ichigo.

He could tell that Ichigo really liked Grimmjow and if Ichigo wasn't so insecure, he would see that the crazy blue-haired man liked him just as much. They were both in denial and it was frustrating for Shinji as a spectator, so he could only imagine how Ichigo felt. He sighed and Starrk's arms tightened.

"S'wrong?" he slurred into Shinji's hair.

"Mm? Oh, I'm jus' thinkin' bout Ichi, s'all."

"They're idiots."

Shinji chuckled. "I know. They're hopeless."

He felt Starrk's lips on his shoulder as his hair was brushed out of the way. He turned into the lazy man's arms and kissed him hungrily on the lips as Starrk's wicked hands traveled over his backside and squeezed, making him squeak in surprise.

"Since you're awake, I have something I want to try," Starrk murmured against Shinji's lips as he rolled on top of the blond.

"Oh yeah? And what's tha-OH MY GOD!" Shinji screeched as the brunet disappeared under the blanket, raised the blond's knees and probed at his entrance with a slick, warm tongue.

His voice was dangerously close to being a falsetto when Starrk gently inserted his tongue into his tight passage and simultaneously stroked his already hard length.

"Nnnghnn! Oh shit!" he whimpered as he clutched the sheets.

Damn, he was glad he'd gotten this man. Starrk increased the speed and pressure of his strokes, making Shinji writhe and pant desperately. _Really fuckin' glad_.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow would never admit it aloud, but he'd been worried sick about the red head after having the younger man pass out in his arms. Starrk had offered to take Ichigo and his little blond friend home; Grimmjow had wanted to protest vehemently but considering the red head's condition _and_ the fact that his only mode of transportation was Desgarron, his bike, he'd had to go along with it. So he'd just followed behind them. Fuck, his next investment would be a goddamned car.

Starrk had worn a surprisingly perverted look in his eye when they'd arrived at Ichigo's apartment complex, and Grimmjow had put two and two together. Starrk was going to fuck that slim blond. Smiling at the thought, he had carried the red head's dead weight into the apartment, stripped him down to his underwear after clearing his face of blood, and tucked him into bed. Finding a chair in the kitchen, Grimmjow had brought it to the bedroom, sat it close to the other man's bed and collapsed into it.

All the adrenaline was gone from his body and he realized that he'd let all those unfamiliar emotions exhaust him. The only one he'd recognized was anger. All the other ones like worry, fear, and something else he couldn't quite place were foreign territory. Regardless of that fact, they had overwhelmed him and made him unrecognizable even to himself. He'd ended up falling asleep in the chair while watching the red head's bruised but peaceful face, only to wake to Ichigo scowling intensely at the ceiling. He'd asked him why he was trying to scare the ceiling and was told that he was thinking. Then Ichigo had gone on to ask him why he was there.

Grimmjow had made an excuse of returning the favor of taking care of him, when the truth was: he _wanted_ to be there. He _wanted_ to be sure that the other man would be OK. When he'd noticed the disappointed look on Ichigo's face from his answer, he'd instantly felt bad. All clues were pointing to the red head being interested in him. Nnoitra had called Grimmjow blind, but he wasn't; he just wanted to be sure of things before he made any moves, lest he make a fool of himself.

He watched as Ichigo rose from the bed, then stood, and he openly admired the view. The red head's morning wood was making itself known and it obviously embarrassed him because he turned a bright crimson shade. Grimmjow only chuckled with amusement making the younger man snap at him and storm from the room. He followed Ichigo from the room and headed for the kitchen. Ichigo had coffee and he wanted some. Immediately. Turning on the small machine, he rooted around for something to fix for breakfast.

"Move, I'll do it. You know, for a grown man that lives on his own, you're pretty useless in the kitchen. How have you managed to survive?" the red head asked irritably.

Grimmjow turned and smirked. Ichigo had dressed in a white t-shirt and gray pajama pants. "I manage."

The shorter man snorted and began preparing scrambled eggs and toast as Grimmjow took a seat at the small table. His thoughts unerringly wandered to how badly he wanted Ichigo. How he wanted to kiss him, touch him...shit, fuck him senseless. Tch, all this tension was killing him. If the guy didn't want him, he was sure Ichigo would let it be known. Not that he was about to take no for an answer, though. He slowly rose from the table and quietly eased behind Ichigo, where the man stood at the sink with his back facing him. Grimmjow tentatively put a hand on the red head's hip and buried his nose in that soft orange hair. _Mmm, still smells like coconuts_. He felt Ichigo freeze, muscles tensing.

"Ginger," he murmured.

Ichigo turned his head ever so slightly and peered at him from the corner of his eye. "G-Grimm-jow, wh-what are you doing?" he stuttered.

Grimmjow grinned and using the hand on Ichigo's hip, turned the stiff red head to face him. Bracing his hands against the sink on either side of Ichigo, his mouth came within a hairsbreadth of the red head's parted lips. He brushed his own against them to test Ichigo's reaction, and smiled when all the man did was gasp softly and stare incredulously back at him.

"What's it look like I'm doin', Ginger?"

Ichigo placed a hand against his chest, eyes widening comically. "But you...I didn't think...you're not...shit," the red head faltered.

Grimmjow raised a brow and partially leaned away from Ichigo to look into his eyes. "What're you sayin'?"

"I-I don't know. I just didn't-"

"You don't want me to kiss you?" he continued, cocking his head to the side. The red head was fucking confusing him now.

"NO! I mean, yes. I mean...shit!" Ichigo fumbled, then paused to take a breath. "I _do_ want you to kiss me!"

The tension that had begun to gather in Grimmjow's shoulders, relaxed, as he grinned and leaned forward again. "Then shut the fuck up."

He pressed his lips to the Ichigo's full, soft ones and all sense promptly fled his brain. He groaned and placing his hands on the smaller man's hips, pulled him closer. The red head whimpered softly and slowly lifted his arms to hook around Grimmjow's neck. Shit, what the hell had he been waiting for? Ichigo melted into him and Grimmjow swept his tongue across the man's parted lips, demanding entrance. He wanted to taste him. No, he _needed_ to taste him. Ichigo opened his mouth almost desperately, and at the first touch of tongue against tongue, Grimmjow growled and gripped the red head's hips with bruising force. He tasted like toothpaste and...simply Ichigo. If that didn't make any sense, it's because it wasn't supposed to. Ichigo also had a certain smell to him that drove Grimmjow crazy whenever he was near him. It smelled almost the way the air did right before it rained.

He was currently on sensory overload as his tongue tangled with the red head's, probing the inside of his mouth. The small needy sounds coming from Ichigo made him press his body closer as he pushed a knee between the red-head's legs. Ichigo gasped and tangling his fingers in Grimmjow's hair, pulled roughly, kissing him harder. His mouth left the other man's and attacked the left side of his neck, licking and sucking. He brought his left hand up to cup the back of Ichigo's neck, continuing his merciless assault with relish.

"Haah...G-Grimm...," Ichigo panted, hand still fisted in bright blue hair.

Grimmjow grunted and sank his teeth into the younger man's neck. Ichigo cried out and tipped his head back, giving him better access to the savory column.

"God, you taste good, Ginger," Grimmjow groaned and immediately recaptured Ichigo's kiss-swollen lips.

Loud knocking interrupted their intense interlude, making Grimmjow curse colorfully. It was always something! He looked into the red head's passion-filled brown eyes and sucked his teeth before cursing again. He gave Ichigo a soft peck on the lips that ended with an audible smack before slowly stepping away from him. Great. Now he was hard as a jawbreaker and forced to wait for the red head to answer the door. He glanced at Ichigo again and had to stifle a laugh. Ichigo wasn't faring any better and what was worse, his erection was very visible through the thin material of his pajama pants. The guy was still breathing harshly and those lips told the very obvious story of having been thoroughly kissed. He grinned proudly at the sight. Even better was the fact that Ichigo definitely wanted him just as much.

He watched with amusement as Ichigo took a moment to compose himself before answering the door. Following a few steps behind, Grimmjow's hackles rose as the red head ducked, avoiding a flying kick. What the fuck? Before he could intervene, Ichigo elbowed the perpetrator to the floor.

"What the hell, Dad?" he shouted.

Dad? This idiot was Ichigo's father?

"Ichigooooo, my son! I've come to offer you the chance of a lifetime!" the man exclaimed.

"What are you talking about, old man?"

"Suzuki-sensei is...ara? Ichigo, you have a guest?"

The red head turned a bright scarlet and faced Grimmjow, who was standing in the doorway of the living room.

"Ah, yeah, this is my, er, friend. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. Grimm, this is my idiot father, Isshin Kurosaki," he stuttered.

So _cute_.

Grimmjow nodded politely and figured it was time to go. He would give Ichigo some alone time with his father.

"Gin-I mean, Ichigo, I'm gonna run. I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"O-OK."

As Grimmjow was closing the door to the red head's apartment, he heard the older man ask Ichigo if he was feeling alright because he looked a little flushed. Chuckling to himself, he made his way to his bike. This definitely wasn't over.

XOXOXO

Aizen stood beside a white, late-modeled car, twirling a pair of handcuffs. To think he was being pushed into grunt work again. It was detestable. Oh, but he would do it, if only to appease his anger and disgust over what had been done to Gin. He chuckled to himself. Perhaps it helped that he had an unhealthy sadistic nature that he kept buried beneath a cool facade. He wasn't necessarily opposed to being hands-on with his dirty work because that had been how he'd started. Only once he'd proven his worth did the wealthy business tycoon leave his legacy to him. Yamamoto-san had been the single most powerful person he'd ever known, and he was proud to be the man's beneficiary. Upon Yamamoto-san's death, he'd been named CEO of the powerhouse weapons manufacturer, Gotei 13. He later renamed it Las Noches and sold it to acquire the building he now owned: Hueco Mundo. He'd never had any interest in running a company, but he did have a knack for leadership. So, instead of dealing with the demands of a very public business, he created an underground fighting arena. Gathering loyal workers had been easy once he'd asserted his authority and offered his generosity.

In no time, Hueco Mundo flourished, and his own team of fighters became notorious. Aizen named them the Espada, giving them ranks and strict rules to abide by. Coupled with a generous paycheck, it was easy to keep them happy. Until he'd employed Luppi. Luppi had been satisfied with his position as Sexta before he became overly ambitious and began demanding a higher rank. He claimed to be superior to those that were ranked above him and wouldn't settle for the Sexta position. The petite, dark-haired man began throwing his fights for money and ultimately giving the Espada's hard-earned reputation a bad name. Luppi should have been grateful that Aizen had only demoted him at the time, instead of completely firing him as Gin had suggested. Then, Gin had come to Aizen one day with the news that he'd overheard Luppi making an unwise decision to conspire against him. Even going so far as to plot his death. That had been the last straw. Gin had been furious and had demanded to take care of the nuisance himself, but he'd denied him. He didn't need Gin getting his hands dirty over such a triviality, and instead, left the job to one of his hired guns. Aizen knew Luppi had had a lover named Sharp that had been overly protective of him. He remembered Tousen informing him a little after he had demoted the former Sexta that a man named Sharp had shown up at Hueco Mundo, raising a ruckus about the situation. He'd paid him no mind at the time. Now, he wished he had. No matter. He was going to rectify that mistake very soon.

At that moment, the man he'd been waiting for began walking towards him with his head down, obviously unaware of his presence. Aizen smiled softly. Even better. The man finally looked up to reach for the door handle of the white car Aizen stood next to, and immediately froze upon seeing him.

"Hello Keiji-san. Do you know who I am?" the brunet asked pleasantly as he took a step forward. Keiji swallowed and nodded stiffly. "Well, that's helpful. I'll give you two choices. You can come with me quietly, wearing these," he explained, lifting the handcuffs into the air. "Or...I make you. Which will it be?"

All of that had been said with a friendly grin and he found himself enjoying the look of utter terror on Keiji's face.

"I-I'll come quietly," the man whispered.

"Good. That makes things easier, ne?" Aizen asked cordially, smile widening as he snapped the cuffs into place.

Keiji nodded again and allowed himself to be led to a long, black limo that had been hidden from view behind a large truck. "W-what are you going to do to me?" he asked nervously.

"Ah, wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now, would we?"

Aizen helped the smaller man into the limo before settling inside himself. Giving Keiji one last look, he turned to face the window where he rested an arm and placed his chin on his fist. This would be fun.

XOXOXO

He couldn't stop smiling. He wanted to dance naked, joyously singing in the rain at the top of his lungs. He didn't care how that made him sound, either. He was happier than a man let off death row. Ichigo Kurosaki had been kissed by Grimmjow fucking Jaegerjaques and he'd loved every second of it. Holy shit, he was on cloud nine. Grimmjow had surprised the hell out of him when he'd come up behind him and held his hip, gently nuzzling his hair. He remembered freezing up in disbelief. When the blue-haired Espada had turned him around, Ichigo had searched blue eyes looking for the usual glint of amusement he saw whenever the man would tease him, but saw nothing except lust as Grimmjow brushed his lips over his. From that moment, Ichigo's mind had instantly put up a "closed" sign. Then, he'd proceeded to make a fool of himself, but he'd needed to be sure that Grimmjow had really wanted him. Really wanted to kiss him.

Grimmjow had gone on to make every bit of Ichigo's insides turn into melted butter when he'd smiled, told Ichigo to shut the fuck up, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. His head had detached from his body and floated away with delirium. The intense pleasure from that one gesture had overwhelmed him. Not to mention, the overload of his senses from being able to add taste to the list of things he liked about the Espada. Once Grimmjow's tongue had commanded entrance to his mouth, he'd promptly turned into a pitiful pile of goo. He had literally melded himself to Grimmjow's body and made the most womanly noises he would later be ashamed of. Right now though, he was just enjoying the memory of kissing the man he wanted so badly. Add to that the fact that his unasked questions had been answered. Ichigo now knew without a shadow of a doubt, that Grimmjow wanted him enough to kiss him. Enough to get an erection. Ichigo blushed as he remembered feeling the man's hard length pressed against his thigh.

'Kiiiiiiiing, gimme a break here, wouldja?' Shiro whined.

Ichigo laughed and shook his head. 'Unh-uh, Mr. Know-it-all. You're coming along for this ride.'

'Shit.'

Shiro had been stunned into silence at Grimmjow's advance as well, but once Ichigo had been alone, he'd voiced his opinion. He'd claimed to have known all along that "blue-hair" liked Ichigo. Ichigo had called him a liar and left it at that.

But damn his old man for coming and completely ruining the steamy moment. He was sure that if his dad hadn't shown up, he would no longer be a virgin. Speaking of his old man, he had invited Ichigo to accompany him to a once in a lifetime medical convention given by Isshin's mentor, Jin Suzuki. It would last for a week and Ichigo would have to miss class, but it was a rare opportunity, so he'd agreed to go. Christ, his old man had terrible timing. He really wanted to further explore this thing with Grimmjow. Hell, every time he even thought about the man, he blushed and everything turned to pudding.

Shit, he was such a girl.


	13. I Need You (Part Two)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Aizen left the sobbing man behind as he exited the room and removed a pair of brass knuckles. Dropping them into a nearby trash can, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began to meticulously clean the blood from his hands.

"You may finish him off the way I asked you to, Naoto," he said calmly to the very large man standing near the door he had just emerged from.

Naoto smiled lecherously and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Aizen watched as the hulking man entered the room and closed the door, muffling the sobs still coming from Keiji. He wouldn't think to touch Keiji in that way himself, but it needed to be done for what he had in mind, so he had ordered one of his lower level workers to complete the task. Naoto had been more than happy to oblige once he'd seen Keiji, claiming the small man was pretty. The brunet sighed as he sat on the edge of a large metal desk and picked up a pen and pad. He quickly scribbled down a short note in a fine script and patiently waited for Naoto to finish. He enjoyed the elevated screams and pleas emanating from the room as he rolled down the sleeves to his white dress shirt and reattached the silver cufflinks. Wearing a small smile, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his driver.

"Yuu, I'm ready."

"Yes, sir."

All that needed to be done was the drop-off, which he would also leave to Naoto. Aizen didn't feel an ounce of remorse for what he had done to Keiji Sasaki since the man had not seen fit to try to stop his brother from harming Gin. Therefore, he would be a sacrifice to Aizen's cause.

Naoto emerged from the now silent room, fixing his pants and wearing a wide grin. Aizen lifted a brow and smiled benignly.

"All done?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir. Even though he passed out on me, he was a sweet little morsel," the giant commented, still grinning hugely.

"Good. Make sure this letter is delivered along with his body to the location I gave you. I'm leaving now. And Naoto?"

"Yes, Aizen, Sir?"

"Thank you for your assistance."

"Of course, Sir. It was...my pleasure."

Aizen nodded and after grabbing his white blazer, left the empty warehouse. His driver was waiting beside a black limo, holding the door open.

"Thank you, Yuu."

"Yes, Aizen, sir."

The first step had been completed.

XOXOXO

"Tch, your old man's got crappy timin', Ginger."

"Like I don't know that," Ichigo grumbled.

"Ya gonna miss me?" Grimmjow's deep voice crooned over the phone.

He smiled. "Nope."

The blue-haired man snorted and Ichigo could just hear the man's smirk. "Liar. It's OK, you can tell me."

"Whatever, idiot," Ichigo grumbled again. "S'only a week."

"Yeah, but now that I know ya want this hot body of mine-"

"Shut up!" he yelped, thoroughly embarrassed.

He was still getting used to the fact that he and Grimmjow had kissed. Speaking of that idiot, he was now laughing uncontrollably.

"So, what am I supposed to do this week?" Grimmjow finally asked, sobering up.

"I don't know. What do you do any other time?"

"Tch, doesn't matter. I'm used ta having ya around and cookin' for me now."

"So, you're using me is what you're saying, right?" Ichigo returned, tone serious, but demeanor playful.

"Don't be stupid, Ginger. I just want you with me. Somethin' wrong with that?"

He paused. He hadn't been expecting that at all. Shit, he really had to get used to the whole Grimmjow wanting him back thing. Everything was still so new, though. Hell, he'd just kissed him that morning.

"No," he said softly. "I'll call you while I'm gone if you want."

Grimmjow sighed dramatically and let the silence stretch on before he lowered his voice a few octaves, making Ichigo's back tingle.

"Every night?"

"I-if you want," he stuttered, a bit flustered by the other man's open bluntness.

"OK, I want."

Three little words and the man had successfully transformed Ichigo into a quivering pile of jelly.

"Alright, I gotta go pack. My old man is coming first thing in the morning."

"Which reminds me: your dad is insane," Grimmjow drawled. "Why did he try to kick your head off when you opened the door?"

"It's just something he does. Says it's to make me a man."

"Shit, he's nuts."

"I know; I lived with him."

There was a small silence that was beginning to make Ichigo nervous when Grimmjow finally spoke.

"Go pack, Ginger. Call me tomorrow, and...miss me a little, yeah?"

"Yeah, OK. Later."

Ichigo ended the call wearing a goofy, lop-sided grin. If only Grimmjow knew.

XOXOXO

Sharp couldn't breathe. He had never anticipated Aizen involving himself personally in the situation. Now his little brother, Keiji, was being seen by one of Sharp's personal physicians in a small clinic on the outskirts of town. He hesitantly opened the letter that had been delivered along with Keiji's battered and bruised body. He had feared his brother was dead at first glance, but instead the man had been left barely alive. He slowly began reading.

_Hello, Sharp-san,_

Or should I call you Tanaka Sasaki? You have unwisely chosen to engage in a dangerous game with a deadly opponent. I will not stand for what was done to Gin. I believe the saying goes "an eye for an eye?"

Tell me, Sharp-san, what will we play next?

_'Til then..._

Sosuke Aizen

Sharp was simultaneously seething and fearful for his life. He knew Aizen was dangerous and powerful, even Keiji had tried to warn him, but he had stubbornly believed that the man wouldn't involve himself directly. Which he hadn't until Sharp had decided to get revenge on the man named Gin Ichimaru, Aizen's second-in-command.

Shit, this wasn't going how he planned at all. Aizen was only supposed to observe from a distance like he normally did. He glanced down at Keiji's disastrous features. _Now what?_

XOXOXO

Ichigo boarded the train with his father, en route to Osaka. He wasn't looking forward to the long ride with his old man and his iPod being his only means of entertainment. Shit.

He'd decided to check his bank account to see how much he could spend without having to dip into his rent funds because he wanted to get Grimmjow a souvenir. Opening the application on his phone, he entered his information and password and tapped the checking account option.

"HOLY SHIT!" he blurted rather loudly, making Isshin look at him with wide eyes and raised brows.

"Ichigo, my son, are you OK?"

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. All he could do was stare at his phone in utter disbelief. Was this really his account? He closed the application, only to reopen it and repeat the information process. The amount was the same and it was definitely his account. 3,078,328 yen. What. The. Fuck? There had to be some mistake. The last time he'd checked his account balance, he'd only had 78,328 yen. So, where the hell did he get three million yen from? Then he face-palmed and sucked his teeth. He was an idiot. Of course! Hadn't he just had a fight two nights ago? So, he got paid three million yen a fight? Holy Christmas trees, no fucking wonder Grimmjow had that kind of an apartment.

A slow smile spread across his face as he realized the implications. He didn't even have to go to school if he didn't want to, but he wasn't a complete fool. He couldn't fight forever, even if by the time he needed a real job, he would have enough money to live on quite comfortably. Fuck, he couldn't stop smiling, and his old man wouldn't stop staring at him. He had to share the news with _someone_ , though, so he sent a text message to Shinji.

_Shin! Guess fucking what!_

It took Shinji a few minutes to respond.

_U fucked Grimmjow?_

Ichigo's cheeks went pink as he realized he hadn't informed his friend about the kiss.

_No, not yet. U and me have some celebrating 2 do when I get back_

_OK, so, slow down. Wut do u mean "not yet?" After that, what will we be celebrating and where are u?_

_I'll call u when I get 2 Osaka. Goin 2 a medical convention_

Isshin?

Yep

Figures. OK, don't fuckin' forget!

I won't. Later.

Ichigo stuck his headphones on and after leaning his head against the window, tried to go to sleep. He was so damned excited, but he still managed to eventually doze off.

XOXOXO

"Where's the orange-head?" Nnoitra asked, looking around the apartment.

"Tch, went to some medical thing in Osaka," Grimmjow replied grumpily.

Nnoitra raised an amused brow. "Ya sound cranky as shit. What's up?"

Grimmjow eyed the dark-haired man skeptically, wondering if it would be safe to tell him about the kiss with Ichigo. He watched as the skinny man sat down beside him on the couch and picked up a controller. Nnoitra would find out anyway, whether Grimmjow wanted him to or not.

"I kissed him."

Nnoitra's eye widened. "Did he hit ya er somethin'? That why yer inna bad mood?"

"No, dip-shit. Just...this thing he's at has the worst timing. Not ta mention, his old man. Shit, I probably woulda fucked him over his sink if Kurosaki Senior hadn't shown up."

Shit, he could still feel the red head. Taste him, even. Once Ichigo returned, he wasn't waiting. Now that Grimmjow knew Ichigo wanted him just as badly as _he_ wanted the red head, he was going to drive that beautiful body into the nearest surface.

"Nice. Told ya he wanted ya. Don't really know what took yer ass so long," Nnoitra muttered.

"Doesn't matter now."

He wouldn't tell Nnoitra about the phone conversation he'd had with the red head that morning. It still made him feel strange. He'd wanted Ichigo to say he would miss him because he thought it would justify _him_ missing the other man. Shit, what a situation. He was completely unfamiliar with the feelings he always seemed to experience around Ichigo. Just hearing the guy's name was enough to have screeching eagles taking flight in his gut. It was ridiculous. But...he liked it. He liked being with Ichigo. He liked talking to him, and just having him around in general. Now, he would be able to touch and kiss the red head without fear of rejection. He couldn't wait; Ichigo was now his for the taking. All of a sudden, a fierce sense of possessiveness tried to beat him into submission.

"You OK?" Nnoitra asked, a wide grin devouring his face.

"Fuck you," Grimmjow snapped defensively. He hadn't meant to wear his emotions on his face.

"I don't think the orange-head would approve."

Grimmjow grinned, but was quickly reminded of Nnoitra's spontaneous absences when the man's cell phone went off, alerting him to a new text message. He grabbed the phone and danced away from the taller man's grasp.

"Oi, Dickhead! Give it back!"

"I will as soon as..."

He froze when he saw the name of the sender of the text. When he read the message his eyes widened comically and his mouth formed an "O" of surprise. What the _hell_? Finally, he glanced at Nnoitra, a smile forming around his still open mouth.

"Is this for real?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Ulquiorra? _Ulqui – fucking – orra_? Holy fuck! How? When the hell did this start?" Grimmjow asked, completely thunderstruck.

"Don't matter, do it? We fuck, that's all. Ain't no feelin's involved," the tall man answered defensively.

The blue-haired man just stared at his friend, mouth agape. That's what the skinny bastard had been up to with all those sudden disappearances. He started cackling, unable to help himself.

"So, how is it?" he asked.

"Tch, nunna yer business!"

"Oh, _fuck that_! You're always pokin' your nose in mine! You think I'm really gonna stay outta this?" he chuckled.

Nnoitra narrowed his eyes before giving Grimmjow his signature piano-toothed smile. "It's tight."

Why did he even bother? Grimmjow laughed and shook his head, still very amused. He never would've guessed that Nnoitra was banging Ulquiorra Schiffer. The Ice Queen. He shook his head again and headed for the kitchen to grab a beer. Wow.

"Bring me one!"

"The fuck am I, your maid?" he yelled back, but grabbed a second beer anyway.

XOXOXO

"Ichigo-kun, you've gotten so big!"

"Thanks, I guess," Ichigo muttered.

Jin Suzuki was a medical genius but Ichigo feared the man was socially retarded. He said any and everything that came to mind, regardless of how inappropriate it may be.

"Ah! Ichigo-kun, I want you to meet my assistant. This is Shuuhei Hisagi. Shuuhei, this is my old student's son, Ichigo Kurosaki. He's studying in the medical field as well," Suzuki said jovially.

Ichigo glanced at the Shuuhei character and had to admit that he was good looking. He had dark, spiky hair that stuck out in different directions, and dark serious eyes. He was about the same height as Ichigo – if not a little taller – pretty muscular, and oh, did he mention the guy had a tattoo of the number 69 on the left side of his face? No? Well, he did, and he was currently staring a hole into Ichigo.

"Nice to meet you, Ichigo," he rumbled as he held out a hand.

Ichigo took it hesitantly, but shook firmly. "Nice to meet you, too."

He dropped Shuuhei's hand like it had burned him, then turned to his father. "I'm going to my room, old man."

"OK, my son!"

He grabbed his suitcase and hurried towards the elevators. That guy had given him chills with the way he'd stared. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed Shuuhei was still watching him closely. What the fuck was with that guy? He arrived at room 722 and breathed a sigh of relief. He would let his Dad take care of registration because he had a phone call to make. After dialing Shinji's number, he flopped onto the bed on his back and waited for the blond to answer.

"So?"

"How is that a way to answer the phone, Shinji?" he reprimanded.

"Cut the crap already. Start with what we're gonna be celebrating when you come back from...where are you?"

"I'm in Osaka, and we're gonna be celebrating my very first payment from fighting as an Espada."

"Oh, yeah? How much is a fight worth?"

"Ya ready for this?"

"Just fuckin' spill it!"

"Three million yen," Ichigo almost whispered and waited for the inevitable explosion.

Sure enough...

"WHAAAAAAT?" All Ichigo could do was laugh at Shinji's excited rantings and exclamations until the blond decided to calm down. "Ichi, I know you don't drink, but I am getting you _shit-faced_ when you come back. No arguments."

"I don't know-"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, loosen the fuck up! You're getting drunk and that's the end of it! Now...I believe there was one more thing you were supposed to be telling me," Shinji said, practically steam-rolling his protests.

"Fine, and I don't remember the other thing," he lied.

"Tch, liar liar, pants on fire. It was about your Grimm-chan."

"Ugghh, Shinji, don't call him that!"

"Well, he is. Seriously, you two need to stop dancing around each other and fuck already. There's so much sexual tension between you guys, you can almost taste it! I mean-"

"He kissed me."

"...What?" Shinji gasped.

"Yesterday morning he kissed me. I guess he'd been at my place all night after my fight and the next morning, I was doin' the dishes after fixing breakfast, and he came up behind me, turned me around and...and he kissed me," he explained, cheeks and ears uncomfortably hot.

"..."

"Shin?"

"Oh my god. Ichi, are you still a virgin?"

"God, Shinji, what the hell?" Ichigo fumed.

"Well? Ya know how much you want him and he wants you pretty damned badly too. Surprised he didn't fuck you over the sink," Shinji rattled. "...He didn't, did he?"

"NO! Idiot! My Dad came in the middle of it, and what makes you think he'd be...um...the one doing the-"

"Oh, please, Ichi! Grimmjow practically screams experience, and you my friend, have none whatsoever," Shinji giggled.

"Oi! Fuck you, OK! So what if I don't have any experience. But speaking of which, what happened with you and Starrk? I saw the two of you talking before my fight."

"Oh, we had _mind-blowing_ sex!" the blond exclaimed.

"Arrgh, never mind, never mind! I'm scared for you to elaborate," Ichigo shuddered.

He could only imagine the lewd details Shinji had in mind. No thanks.

"Awww, c'mon, Ichi-"

A soft knocking at his room door made him pause. "Absolutely not! Hey, Shin, I gotta go. Someone's at the door."

"Yeah, OK. Call me later."

"OK."

Ichigo ended the call and plugged his phone into the charger. After he ambled to the door and opened it, he found Shuuhei standing on the other side wearing a slight smirk. He almost fell in his haste to back up.

"What are you-" he started.

"Suzuki-sensei asked me to bring you the lecture outline," the dark-haired man answered as he held out a yellow binder.

"Ah, th-thanks."

He started to close the door when Shuuhei spoke again. "Are you afraid of me, Ichigo?"

He jumped slightly but slowly met the man's dark gaze. There was a twinkle of amusement in the coal-colored depths.

"N-no, but your staring makes me uncomfortable."

Shuuhei shrugged. "You're an attractive guy, Ichigo. What can I say?"

Ichigo felt the bottom of his stomach fall to his feet. What? Did he just say...? What was he supposed to reply to that?

"Th-thanks, you too."

No! That definitely wasn't what he was supposed to say.

Shuuhei smiled. "You wanna hang out sometime? You know, when we're not busy at the convention?"

"I can't," Ichigo responded lamely. "I'm – at least I think I am – seeing someone back home. Sorry."

"Ah, it's no problem. We can at least be friends, right?"

"Yeah, that's cool."

"Alright then. See ya around, Ichigo," Shuuhei said and disappeared down the hall with his hands shoved in his pockets.

XOXOXO

Sharp had an idea. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He didn't want to deal with Aizen until he had more manpower, and since he'd heard that the fucking Sexta was still alive, he'd been itching to finish the job. All he needed to do was find out a way to harm him without directly dealing with him.

He would find a way to end all of this, Aizen included. He just had to regroup and figure out a plan. Aizen had won the last battle, but Sharp was determined to win the war.

XOXOXO

He was excited as hell. The convention had been informative and engaging due to Suzuki's outgoing personality and sheer medical genius. Ichigo hadn't had to deal with his old man much since Isshin insisted on sticking to "Suzuki-sensei" like glue, absorbing everything like an oversized sponge. He'd even hung out with Shuuhei a couple of times and discovered that the guy was a lot of fun. Although he was a fairly serious person, he also had a strange sense of humor. Ichigo remembered Shuuhei flirting with an elderly lady while they waited in line at a restaurant the other night. When he'd asked him why, he'd said "just for kicks." The dark-haired man was weird like that. After that, they'd exchanged numbers with promises to hang out again sometime.

Every night, however, he called Grimmjow at around eleven PM. They wouldn't talk about much, but each conversation seemed to bring Ichigo closer to him. Ichigo feared that he was catching feelings for the Sexta Espada, but he would keep that to himself for now. It was still too new.

He had also gone souvenir shopping during his off-time. He'd bought a stuffed lion for Yuzu, a new soccer ball for Karin, a yellow hoodie that screamed Shinji's name, Chad got a new pair of headphones, Orihime got a cookbook (she needed it desperately), Rukia got a pair of pajama pants with Chappie the Bunny all over, and Renji got this weird-looking hat he'd been recently pining for. Lastly, he'd gotten Grimmjow a light-blue t-shirt with "What the fuck are you staring at?" written in black letters on the front. Ichigo thought that fit his personality perfectly.

After having a long, embarrassing talk with Shinji, he'd stopped at a pleasure store – crikey, it still mortified him – to pick up some stuff called Maximus that Shinji insisted he get. Unfortunately, Ichigo had expressed his desire to lose his virginity to Grimmjow, and that was what Shinji demanded he buy. So, he had. The woman in the store had been helpful enough, but after repeated attempts to hit on him, he'd snapped "I'm gay!" and stormed from the store.

The best part of the trip was that Suzuki had decided to end the convention two days early. So, here he was, one o'clock in the morning at home, packing an overnight bag before taking a shower. He had a surprise to give.

XOXOXO

He'd been cranky all fucking week so far and the only person that knew why – and rubbed it in at every opportunity – was Nnoitra. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but he really missed Ichigo. He'd grown so used to having the red head around that when he wasn't, it was like having a gaping void in his everyday life. Grimmjow spoke to him every night, enjoying the sound of his voice and imagining the red head right there with him instead of all the way in fucking Osaka. To top it off, he still had two days of Ichigo-less torture to go. He knew he was feeling something more than lust for the red head, but he was powerless to stop it, nor did he really want to. It was new and refreshing.

Sighing, he turned over in bed and froze when he heard knocking. Who the hell would be knocking at his door at two o'clock in the fucking morning? He was already cranky and irritable, so God help whoever was at his door. Shoving his blankets aside, he stormed to the living room, intent on chewing out the idiot on the other side. They definitely had it coming.

"Who the fuck is it?" he barked.

When he didn't get an answer, he checked the peephole only to find it dark. The fuck? The only person he could think of that would cover the peephole like that was Nnoitra.

He threw the door open and snapped, "The fuck-" before freezing. "Ginger?"

"Hey."

"I thought-"

"Yeah, the instructor cut it short, so I thought I'd surprise you," Ichigo said, stepping past him.

"It worked," was all he could come up with as his eyes devoured the sight he'd been longing to see.

The red head stood in the living room, carrying the black duffel bag he'd had the first night he'd stayed, wearing a plain white t-shirt, blue jeans that were ripped at the knees and a pair of black and white athletic slippers. His hair was a little damp, and he was giving Grimmjow that heart-clenching smile. After slipping the duffel bag from his shoulder, Ichigo walked right up to him, placed both hands on either sides of Grimmjow's face and kissed him. He felt like his heart was thudding in his ears.

"I missed you," the shorter man murmured against his lips.

As if being snapped out of a trance, Grimmjow pulled him closer by his hips and kissed him in return.

"I missed you, too," he murmured back.

He leaned in and, prying the red head's mouth open with his lips, drove his tongue inside hungrily. Ichigo immediately wrapped his arms around his neck and sighed. Grimmjow let his hands glide up and down the man's back and sides before pulling back to gaze into those maple-hued eyes. After taking Ichigo's hand, he started leading him to the bedroom, the red head merely pausing long enough to grab his bag.


	14. Piece of My Love

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

As soon as Grimmjow led him into the bedroom, Ichigo dropped his bag beside the bed and was instantly pulled into strong arms that began tearing at his clothes.

"Off," Grimmjow growled. "All of it. Now, Ginger."

Ichigo complied with wide eyes. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, then tossed it to the side and started on his jeans, but before he could get them off, Grimmjow tugged him close and began kissing him again. God, his mind was a huge puddle of mud. Grimmjow's hands roamed his naked torso and deft fingers found tawny nipples and pinched.

Ichigo glanced down and fought the urge to squirm at the strange sensation. "Unh," he grunted.

He tried to touch every part of Grimmjow's body, hands wandering across broad shoulders, down strongly built arms, and over well-defined pectorals and abs. _He's fuckin' gorgeous_ , he inwardly marveled. Finally, his hands settled at Grimmjow's waist and pulled, bringing the man closer and coincidentally rubbing their lower regions together.

Grimmjow growled loudly, his lips sliding across Ichigo's jaw and up towards his ear. The blue-haired man's tongue traced the shell and slid down to a spot right below the lobe that made Ichigo moan and grow just a little bit bolder. He slid his hands over Grimmjow's firm bottom and squeezed, making the man simultaneously growl and chuckle.

"Like it?" he rumbled against Ichigo's neck.

"Mhm."

Ichigo continued his exploration as he slipped his hands inside the waistband of Grimmjow's boxers, then brought his curious hands to the man's front, fingers grazing pale blue pubic hairs. Ichigo heard Grimmjow draw a sharp breath and smiled; it made him feel powerful knowing that he was the cause of those noises and actions and he wanted more. Much more.

He had only ever touched his own dick, so he hesitated a moment before deciding to just go for it. He'd come this far, he damned sure wasn't going to chicken out now. He eased his hand down further and wrapped it around Grimmjow's rock-hard length, stroking it a few times.

"Shit," Grimmjow grunted before attacking Ichigo's collar bone, then bending further to leisurely lick and suck his left nipple. Out of reflex, Ichigo's hand tightened and Grimmjow grunted again. "Fuck."

It was like steel encased by hot satin and it intrigued Ichigo to no end. _So, that's what another man's equipment feels like_ , he inwardly mused. He tugged at Grimmjow's boxers with one hand while the other continued stroking.

"Bed," was all Grimmjow muttered before lifting Ichigo clear over his shoulder and then depositing him in the middle of the king-sized structure, where Ichigo landed with a cushiony flop.

"Tch, impatient much?" he grumbled.

Grimmjow grinned ferociously and after ridding himself of his boxers, yanked Ichigo's jeans and underwear the rest of the way off. However, Ichigo's eyes were glued to Grimmjow's erection that was jutting away from his body, veiny and thick in all its glory. Then, he noticed he wasn't the only one gawking. As Grimmjow stood staring, Ichigo's ears went hot and he moved to cover himself, suddenly a little insecure. Hell, Grimmjow was a fucking Greek statue, while Ichigo was more subtly toned.

"The fuck're you doin'?" the blue-haired man growled darkly.

"You're staring!" Ichigo pointed out lamely.

Grimmjow's expression gradually softened into a smirk. "You're sexy, Ginger," he shrugged. "I can't help it."

Ichigo felt a tingling across his cheeks as he gave a lop-sided grin. "C'mere," he murmured, crooking a finger.

He noticed a lecherous gleam in Grimmjow's intense blue gaze before the man eased onto the bed and hovered over him, still smirking the entire time. Ichigo spread his legs, allowing Grimmjow to settle comfortably between them before arching his back and rotating his hips in a slow circle, causing a ridiculous amount of friction.

"Mmm," he moaned, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth and hooking his arm around Grimmjow's neck.

"Shit...do that again," the blue-haired man murmured, voice husky and brilliant blue eyes nearly slits.

Ichigo smirked and rolled his hips again, this time harder, drawing a deep lusty moan from Grimmjow. He pulled the man into a drugging kiss as he hooked his left leg around Grimmjow's waist. Using that strength, he flipped their positions so that he was on top and straddling the man's hips.

He dragged his tongue over Grimmjow's jaw and up to his ear, mimicking the actions that had been performed on him earlier. From there, he kissed a trail down the man's neck where he laved the dip leading to his collarbone. Grimmjow's hands were busy too as he ran them up and down Ichigo's sides and back, then around to his chest to tweak already hardened nipples.

Ichigo felt like he was careening helplessly along a river of sensation with every kiss, every lick and every fucking touch. Shinji had told him to just do what felt good or what he _thought_ would feel good, and he was surprised at just how easy that was.

He licked his way to Grimmjow's left nipple where he nipped first before soothing the small bite with a kiss, then another lick. The man grunted and plowed his right hand through Ichigo's hair, making Ichigo smile. After subjecting the man's right nipple to the same treatment, he moved on down his stomach, briefly dipping his tongue into Grimmjow's navel. A toned and ridged abdomen jumped and shuddered a few times making Ichigo grin and repeat the action.

"Ginger, I'll kick your ass."

"OK, OK," Ichigo chuckled.

He followed the line of fine blue hair cutting a path through that mountainous abdomen, until he came face to face with Grimmjow's impressive member that was already slightly leaking. Ichigo bit his lip as he regarded it, trying to keep his excitement at bay. Shinji had also given him a crash course on the art of giving head, completely mortifying the hell out of him in the process, but he sure as shit would put it to use now.

He gripped the thick length at its base before sticking out his tongue and teasing the slit. Grimmjow hissed, which spurred Ichigo into swirling his tongue around the head, then completely engulfing it. It wasn't bad. The skin was soft and kind of spongy, and Grimmjow had a mildly salty but musky taste that turned Ichigo on with a vengeance.

"Ah, shit, Ginger," Grimmjow murmured, voice thick with lust.

He could feel the tension across the man's hips as he struggled to keep from ramming himself down Ichigo's throat and Ichigo was incredibly grateful. Taking Grimmjow's right hand, he placed it on the back of his own head and slowly started bobbing, taking the man in inch by inch.

Grimmjow hissed and tightened his hold on Ichigo's hair as he went faster, sucked harder and reached down to massage his balls. He pulled back and ran his piercing along the underside of the painfully stiff member before him as he ran his hands over Grimmjow's thighs, then up and across his stomach before taking him fully into his mouth once more. God, it was turning him the fuck on having Grimmjow's flesh sliding in and out of his mouth like this. Ichigo reached down and began to stroke himself in time to his sucking, which sped up involuntarily.

"Oh, fuck! Shit!" Grimmjow cursed and Ichigo grinned around his length.

Before he could continue, however, Grimmjow tugged on his hair, indicating he wanted him to stop. "Come here."

He obeyed and instantly found himself on his back, mouth being utterly devoured. He moaned into the kiss when the man ground their hips together. Wasting no time, Grimmjow lowered himself and spread Ichigo's legs before wrapping his lips around Ichigo's bobbing arousal.

Ichigo gave a strangled cry and threw his head back, covering his eyes with his right arm. _Fuck, that's good!_ He felt like he could die now and be absolutely happy about it. Grimmjow – _his_ Grimmjow – was sucking him off. And quite fervently, he might add. Suddenly, the blue-haired Espada slipped a finger between Ichigo's cheeks and gently teased his entrance. He jumped.

_Well, that was unexpected, but...nice._

"I've g-got some l-lube i-in my ba-ohhhh, boy," Ichigo couldn't even get through his sentence because Grimmjow had taken that moment to engage his balls with his tongue.

"Came prepared, huh?" Grimmjow teased after a while.

"Shut up," he panted.

Ichigo watched Grimmjow back away, lean over the side of the bed, then rifle through the contents of his bag before "uh-huh"ing in satisfaction. He crawled back over Ichigo and kissed him languidly, probing his mouth sensuously, before pulling back to gaze at him with a crooked grin.

Ichigo lifted an orange brow and smiled back. "What?" he asked.

Grimmjow kissed him chastely before replying. "You're still fuckin' sexy, Ginger," he husked.

"Shut up, idiot," Ichigo murmured and pulled him into another slow, open-mouthed kiss.

He felt something stirring in his belly as he kissed and touched Grimmjow, something that made his body feel like he'd spontaneously combusted. Whatever it was, it was strange.

Finally, Grimmjow sat back on his heels and covered the fingers of his right hand with the slippery lubricant before raising Ichigo's knees. "Ready?" he asked.

Ichigo nodded and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. A light probing at his entrance announced Grimmjow's movement, then a slight pressure and lastly, the strangest most uncomfortable feeling he'd ever experienced. Ichigo bit his bottom lip as Grimmjow drew his finger in and out a few times before carefully inserting another. He jumped at the added intrusion, but otherwise remained calm.

Grimmjow repeated the process and added a third finger before Ichigo found himself involuntarily crying out. What _the fuck_ was that? He shifted his hips and Grimmjow's fingers brushed over that extremely sensitive spot again, making Ichigo moan deeply. His prostate, huh? Holy _hell_ , it felt good. Now, Grimmjow was repeatedly stimulating the hypersensitive gland and Ichigo had become a writhing, panting mess.

"P-please, Grimm! Ah, shit!" he moaned.

Ichigo didn't even know what he was begging for, but it must've made sense to Grimmjow because the man removed his fingers and went to slathering his erection after another squeeze from the bottle of lubricant. Without preamble, he lined himself up at Ichigo's entrance and slowly but steadily pushed forward until he was half-way submerged.

"Ah, fuck! S-shit, that fuckin' hurts!" Ichigo growled through clenched teeth.

"Ya want me to stop?" Grimmjow asked quietly.

Ichigo could tell by his face that Grimmjow didn't want to, and neither did he after coming this far. "No, stupid! J-just go!"

The blue-haired man leaned his forehead against Ichigo's and balanced himself on one arm. Gently grasping Ichigo's neglected member, he slowly stroked and pushed forward again, this time not stopping until he was fully seated inside of Ichigo's tight passage.

"Shit...so tight," he groaned thickly.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was just trying to adjust to the demanding sensation of being utterly full and stretched beyond capacity. His face was pulled into a brutal scowl and he was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. He was knocked back to Earth by Grimmjow's hand steadily stroking him and those soft lips coaxing him into a kiss.

"It'll feel better," Grimmjow said, voice almost hoarse.

Ichigo merely nodded. Grimmjow pulled back and thrust forward carefully but deeply, moaning the whole way. _God, it hurt_. Ichigo noticed the look of worry etched onto Grimmjow's face and tried not to show the pain he was in, but the man wasn't fooled. Instead, he lifted Ichigo's knees and thrust again, easing into a steady rhythm. The feeling built and built, pain gradually ebbing away, until Ichigo finally jerked and cried out loudly.

"Unh! Again," he pleaded.

Grimmjow grinned and complied. "Bingo," he murmured when Ichigo moaned and lifted his hips towards him.

"Hah...right there! Nnngh...h-harder! Oh, fuck yes," he moaned deliriously.

Jesus Christ bananas. Grimmjow was stroking his prostate with every thrust now.

Ichigo locked his legs around slim hips and arched upwards, his own hips meeting Grimmjow's with every forward push. He clung to the larger man's shoulders, fingernails probably digging grooves into the man's skin.

"Shiiiit. Grimm...Grimm, oh God, isso good," he slurred as Grimmjow rammed into him, grunting harshly.

"Fuck!" Grimmjow shouted as sweat beaded across his brow.

Soon, all that was heard was wet, flesh-slapping, labored pants and grunts as Grimmjow drove Ichigo into the mattress. God, he never knew it would feel so fucking great. He felt like he was being wound too tight, close to snapping.

"Ya gonna come for me, Ginger?" Grimmjow murmured in Ichigo's ear. Did he say close to snapping? He meant _dangerously_ close.

Grimmjow licked the shell of his ear and reached between their sweat-slicked bodies to stroke Ichigo's leaking erection.

"Ahhhh!" Ichigo yelled as he arched his back and dug his fingers into Grimmjow's back, almost instantly erupting all over the man's hand and their stomachs.

"Goddammit, Ichigo!" Grimmjow growled as he released, length throbbing like a bass line.

After seeing what seemed like millions of fireworks exploding right before his eyes, Ichigo slowly uncurled his toes and relaxed his tense muscles as Grimmjow lay on top of him, face buried in Ichigo's neck. Trying to catch his breath was proving to be difficult with a heavy ass blue-haired man squashing him.

"Oi, you're fuckin' heavy," he lazily murmured, unable to gather the strength to push Grimmjow off. His muscles felt like jello and his bones like putty. That had been the best orgasm he'd ever had in his life.

"Can't move right now," Grimmjow said, the words muffled by Ichigo's neck.

"Well, I can't breathe. Move, you gorilla."

Grimmjow sighed dramatically and slowly eased out of Ichigo before rolling lethargically onto his back. They lay like that for several minutes before Ichigo rolled onto his side and stared at Grimmjow, who had those fiery blue eyes shut. He knew something besides sex had just happened between them, or at least, that's how _he_ felt. Butterflies took flight in his stomach and a spreading warmth traveled from one end of his body to the other when he looked at the stretched out blue-haired Espada.

At that moment, Grimmjow opened his eyes and caught him staring. Embarrassed, Ichigo tried to turn away, but Grimmjow caught his face with his left hand and pulled him into a soft kiss.

"You're mine now," he growled.

"Well, that goes both ways, you know," Ichigo quietly replied.

"I know that. Come here."

Grimmjow wrapped his arms around Ichigo and kissed his forehead, turning the butterflies in his gut into fighter jets. How sad was he? He'd fallen for the guy after only having sex with him once.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow knew he was in trouble the moment Ichigo had started sucking him off, but when he'd slid inside of his own personal red head, he was completely lost. He would only admit to himself that he was wrapped tightly around Ichigo's finger...and that he didn't give a shit about it, either. Fucking the red head had been a thousand times better than he'd expected. Now as he held a sleeping Ichigo in his arms, he never wanted to let him go. Ever. Grimmjow had meant it when he'd told the younger man that he was his and vice versa.

Damn, what the fuck had happened to him? And so quickly, at that. He sighed in defeat and held Ichigo tighter. Did it really matter if he had feelings for the guy? As long as the red head stayed by his side, that was OK, right?

That morning, he rose to the smell of coffee and bacon and smiled broadly. Things were back to normal with his Ginger cooking for him. He rolled over and was thoroughly enjoying the way his second pillow smelled faintly of Ichigo, when he noticed a small note. Thinking it was something sweet about earlier, he began reading.

_Shower. I beg of you._

Grimmjow tipped his head back and laughed heartily. _That little asshole_. He rolled from the bed and shuffled to the shower, realizing that he did smell pretty sweaty, but he also smelled like Ichigo, and he didn't think that was a bad thing at all. He stood under the spray of hot water after brushing his teeth, reliving his and the red head's lovemaking. Fuck, he was sprung. He grinned widely as a perverted idea took root in his head and refused to budge. He didn't mind. It would be fun.

Wrapping a towel around his waist and grabbing another for his hair, he padded out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where he silently watched from the doorway Ichigo fixing two plates of food. The red head was smiling softly and wearing a green t-shirt and black lounge pants.

So beautiful.

When Ichigo turned back to the sink to start gathering the dishes, Grimmjow crept up behind him and hugged him tightly around the waist before pressing a soft kiss to his neck.

"Mornin', Ginger," he murmured.

Ichigo turned in his arms and smacked his forehead with a wet, wooden spoon. "Food is over there. So's your coffeeeeeee!" Ichigo ended with a very unmanly squeal as Grimmjow slipped a hand in the guy's bottoms, cupping his sleeping package.

"I see somethin' better right here," he said before kissing Ichigo hungrily.

"But the food-"

"I got a microwave."

"You're such a perv," Ichigo grumbled over a sigh and a small smirk.

"I know," Grimmjow replied, grinning widely and stroking the red head's length until it was straining in his hand. "Mmm, but I'm not the only perv here, now am I?"

"Shut up. It's your fault anyway."

"Good," he replied and pulled Ichigo closer, possessively kissing him.

Grimmjow loved the way Ichigo smelled and tasted. Hell, he loved everything about him. He – hmm... He would deal with that _later_.

He lowered himself to his knees, taking Ichigo's pants with him. After that, he swirled his tongue around the head of the younger man's member. Grimmjow slowly bobbed his head, gradually engulfing the length as he cupped his balls.

"Nnngh," Ichigo moaned as he leaned against the sink and eased his fingers into Grimmjow's hair.

Grimmjow hollowed his cheeks and sucked harder and faster, making Ichigo's legs literally tremble. He ran his hands over the red head's thighs, then around to his ass and squeezed.

"Mm, shit. I'm comin'," the Ginger whispered urgently.

Grimmjow pulled away and continued the pressure with his hand, stroking strongly until Ichigo released all over his fingertips. _Perfect._ Turning Ichigo facing away from him and letting the towel around his waist hit the floor in one movement, he used those same fluids to coat himself and prepare the red head's entrance. Once he was satisfied, he lined himself up and eased himself forward. This time, Ichigo moaned lowly as Grimmjow sheathed himself completely and gripped his shoulders.

"Mm, fuck yes," Grimmjow growled as held himself in place, giving the red head time to adjust.

"Just do it!" Ichigo moaned heatedly, pushing back against him, brown eyes glazed over with lust.

"Shit!"

Grimmjow began pounding into the Ginger, grunting and gripping his shoulders tightly. He felt his control slipping as he listened to their skin coming together and Ichigo's wanton moans and harsh breathing. Damn, where the hell had his stamina gone?

Suddenly, Ichigo lifted his right leg and held it up, changing the angle of Grimmjow's thrusts. Yeah, he definitely wasn't going to last. His whole body shuddered as his movements became jerky and uncoordinated. He hissed loudly before spilling himself into the red head with one last deep thrust. Suddenly exhausted, he leaned forward to rest his body and catch his breath, face pressed to Ichigo's cheek. Ichigo moaned softly before turning his head and kissing him, his own breathing still heavy. Carefully pulling himself free from Ichigo's heat, he reached into a drawer for a clean dish towel, then wet it under the tap before cleaning himself and the red head with a whole lot of kissing in between. Once they were clean, they washed their hands, Grimmjow grabbed his towel and replaced it around his waist, then settled down for breakfast that Ichigo grumbled about reheating the entire time.

"But ya liked it," Grimmjow drawled with a mischievous smirk.

"Whatever," the red head responded, trying unsuccessfully to hide his own smirk.

"What are you doin' today? Got class?" Grimmjow asked as he took a piece of bacon from Ichigo's plate.

"Oi! You got your own! And no, I'm still out of town remember?"

"So you can stay with me then, right?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Oh, I got you a souvenir. S'in my bag."

"Oh, yeah? What'd you get?" Grimmjow asked with a wide grin, all smugness and accomplishment.

He got the Ginger to buy him something. How cute was that?

"Some manners," the red head said with a grin, instantly deflating his ego.

"I got manners," the blue-haired man started. Ichigo lifted an annoyingly skeptical brow, so Grimmjow amended with, "Sometimes."

"I got a shirt. You can get it later."

"A shirt? What's on it?" Grimmjow questioned, a little confused.

Then Ichigo smirked. "What the fuck are you staring at?"

Grimmjow paused, another piece of bacon half-way to his mouth before he abruptly snorted and started chuckling.

"You're a little bastard, ya know that?"

"Ya like it," the red head said with a sly wink before standing and gathering the plates. Grimmjow noticed him limping slightly as he made his way to the sink.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, concern lacing his tone.

Ichigo absently shook his head as he let the plates slip into the sink still full of sudsy water. "I think I'm doing pretty good, considering I was a virgin before this morning."

Grimmjow froze, mug of coffee suspended in air. He'd suspected as much, but hearing the proof was a horse of a different color. Oh, this was too much for his already over-inflated ego. He rose from the table and moved behind the red head, turning him to face him before kissing him deeply.

"Why?" he questioned softly.

Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. "You're the only person I've liked enough to have sex with. Made sense to me."

Grimmjow could only stare at his Ginger in awe and that emotion he'd been feeling while watching him earlier resurfaced. What the hell was this guy turning him into?

"I'm lucky then."

"Don't forget you said that," Ichigo said with another smile.

"Why?"

"'Cuz I want you to remember that when we argue."

Grimmjow grinned before tousling that head full of bright orange hair.

"Deal."


	15. Seeds of Discord

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"Just fuckin' wear it!"

"I don't want to."

God, he was a fucking stubborn idiot! Ichigo'd only asked the man to wear his gift so it wouldn't be a waste of money, but the bastard kept refusing. So. Ichigo would fight dirty. Turning his scowl into a soft smile, he slowly approached Grimmjow's shirtless back. The blue-haired man was currently rifling through a drawer in the closet and not really paying attention to him. He reached around and ran his hands up Grimmjow's chest, lightly pinching the man's nipples. He smiled when Grimmjow froze and sucked in a sharp breath, knowing he now had the upper hand. Ichigo slowly ran his tongue up the middle of Grimmjow's back, pausing to place soft kisses here and there. Suddenly, the blue-haired man chuckled softly before turning to face Ichigo.

"You little snot," he muttered before capturing Ichigo's lips in a sweet kiss that quickly became heated.

Grimmjow wrapped his arms around Ichigo's waist and pulled him closer as that wicked tongue delved into his mouth. What was he supposed to be doing again? Shit. It seemed like whenever Grimmjow touched him, his brain turned to mush and his body would instantly respond. He yelped when, at that moment, the other man decided to lift him onto the stand of drawers situated in the middle of the large walk-in closet. Moving between Ichigo's legs, Grimmjow continued his assault on his mouth with the added stimulation of running his hands up the red-head's thighs.

Ichigo didn't want to stop...ever, but they'd just had another shower and honestly, he didn't know where the man got his monstrous libido, but Ichigo was sore. _Ridiculously_ sore. He didn't even know how he'd managed standing upright all morning. So, he reluctantly put his hands on Grimmjow's shoulders and pushed him back gently. He felt bad for getting the guy started, but he really hadn't expected such a strong reaction. He gazed into Grimmjow's handsome face uncertainly, only to see a smirk full of amusement. He scowled. Why the hell was Grimmjow grinning?

"Bet that plan backfired, now didn't it?" the Espada asked smugly.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Why won't you just wear the damned thing? It's not like it's hideous or something," he groused, thoroughly put off that his plan had been, not only seen through, but also countered.

"I like gettin' you riled up, Ginger. I was gonna wear it the first time you asked." Ichigo gritted his teeth, then punched Grimmjow in the chest. Hard. "Oww! Shit, it was a fuckin' joke!" the blue-haired man snapped, rubbing the spot Ichigo had abused.

"Jerk!" the orange-haired man fumed as he jumped from the stand and stormed into the bedroom.

Grimmjow followed close behind, laughing quietly as Ichigo shoved himself into a pair of gray skinny jeans with a gray and white striped belt, a form-fitting gray t-shirt, and a white hoodie with gray lettering down the sleeves. Gray and white high-top Converse sneakers finished the outfit. He plopped onto the bed to watch Grimmjow dress, still angry as a wet cat. The man was fucking insufferable, that was all there was to it. Why else would he get off on antagonizing him? Wearing a wide grin, Grimmjow pulled on a pair of black jeans, along with the t-shirt Ichigo bought him. The taller man moved to the closet, pulled a black and blue motorcycle jacket from a hanger, and found matching boots on the shoe rack. He looked like a model for a motorcycle magazine, stepped freshly from the cover.

"Ya ready?" he asked.

Ichigo nodded and followed him from the bedroom. "So, where we goin'?"

"I'm not gonna let you ruin the surprise, Ginger."

"Tch."

They left the apartment and trooped down the hall, where they paused, waiting for the elevator. Grimmjow suddenly pulled Ichigo close and nuzzled his hair before kissing him there.

"You look nice," he said softly.

"Thanks. You too," Ichigo commented with a slight blush.

"Tch, _I_ know that! _You're_ the one that looked like ya needed some reassurance," Grimmjow stated with a cocky smirk.

"I hate you."

"You do not. Ya know ya love me."

Soon after the words left Grimmjow's mouth, Ichigo noticed the tiny scowl that pulled at his brow before the man peeked over at him from the corner of his eye. Ichigo grinned.

_Now who needs reassurance?_

They boarded the elevator and as soon as the doors slid shut, Ichigo pressed Grimmjow against the wall and kissed him softly, tugging on his bottom lip with his teeth. He figured he didn't need to say anything since that bridge had yet to be crossed, so a nice kiss would do...for now. Grimmjow grasped the back of Ichigo's head and deepened the kiss, parting his lips and sliding in his tongue. Ichigo moaned quietly and fisted the sides of Grimmjow's shirt as he allowed his mind to wander. He was pretty certain that he had feelings for Grimmjow. Really _strong_ feelings. He'd given the man his virginity without a second's hesitation and he...shit...who the fuck was he kidding? As he tilted his head back to give the man access to his throat, he finally caved to the emotion that'd been floating just beneath the surface of everything for the last three weeks. He was in love with Grimmjow.

XOXOXO

Sharp made sure to keep the motorcycle in his sights as he followed a few car lengths behind. Knowing the Sexta's name had made it so much easier to find him. Imagine his surprise in finding the Sexta kissing, none too innocently, the orange-haired man that'd attacked him at the fight.

 _So, he has a lover then? Perfect_.

XOXOXO

Aizen hadn't been this angry since he'd received the video of Gin's humiliation, and now the source of his anger was no longer the perpetrator, but the victim himself. He knew he had no right to feel that way, but he felt slighted, even if the younger man didn't mean his actions.

Gin had awakened several days ago in excruciating pain and Aizen had gone to his side, trying to comfort him, only to have Gin flinch and shrink away from him, even after recognizing who he was. Gin's ordeal had left him well and truly traumatized and Aizen didn't know how to deal with it. The silver-haired man wouldn't speak during the times he was awake; he would only lay on the chaise and stare out the window. When he'd asked Szayel about Gin's behavior, he'd been told that the younger man may or may not recover from the incident. This only made him angrier and made him want to skip toying with Sharp, going straight to pulling the man's insides out with his bare hands.

Just then, Gin cried out, but Szayel was at his side administering a pain killer almost immediately. Aizen inwardly sighed as he reclined in his large office chair. This was a very unpleasant development indeed.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow smiled as he watched the red head lose his mind, flitting from one exhibit to the next. He'd taken him to a car show put on by Karakura's most prominent custom car designers, the Vipers. This particular show featured only motorcycles of all genres. Sport, off-road, touring: you name it and it was there. Ever since he'd found out the red head held the same enthusiasm he did for bikes, he'd planned to bring him to one of these shows. The Vipers always outdid themselves and the exhibits were one-of-a-kind.

"Oh, wow! Look at this, Grimm!" Ichigo called out excitedly.

Grimmjow made his way to the overwhelmed red head and raised his eyebrows in appreciation of the custom, fire engine-red Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. It was a magnificent machine.

"It's nice," he commented.

"Nice?" Ichigo stated incredulously. "No, _clothes_ are nice. _This_ is incredible!"

Grimmjow laughed in response, but his laughter abruptly died when he spotted a familiar face in the crowd, leering directly across from him. For the rest of his life, he would never forget that face. The man smiled when he realized Grimmjow noticed him, then pointedly glanced at the red head and back to him with a raised brow. Grimmjow almost lost it when the man held up a phone, snapped a picture of Ichigo, then took off into the crowd.

Pushing past people roughly, some even being shoved to the floor, Grimmjow ran in pursuit. He wouldn't let that fucker get away with threatening his Ginger. Fuck that. He tore from the building and into the large parking lot, where he stopped to search for the man. FUCK! He didn't see him anywhere. There were too many cars and too many fucking people.

Grimmjow was in the midst of catching his breath and still searching for the man, when he noticed the red head running towards him. Ichigo's eyes were wide and confused as he pulled up next to him.

"Grimm, what happened? Why'd you run off like that?"

He just stared at Ichigo – unsure of what to tell him – before redirecting his gaze to the many surrounding cars. He still couldn't understand how the man could disappear so quickly and efficiently.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo snapped. "What the fuck!"

True, he didn't have to tell the red head whom and what he'd seen, but if that asshole tried anything with Ichigo, Ginger would be unprepared. At least with what Grimmjow knew, Ichigo could watch his back whenever they weren't together.

"I saw him."

"Saw who?" the red head snapped irritably.

"The man who tried to kill me. Sharp."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed and his head immediately whipped around, searching the parking lot. His normally soft and warm brown eyes were hard and shining with rage. If Grimmjow hadn't been so angry himself, he probably would've been turned on by the protective behavior.

"That ain't what's botherin' me, though. The fucker was right across from us at that last exhibit and when I spotted him, he just fuckin' smiled. Then he looked at you and took a picture," Grimmjow rumbled angrily.

"And you're worried he's gonna come after me? I'd like to see him try."

"Well, I'd rather not."

"What the fuck? I'm not helpless! I can take care of myself!"

Ginger was shouting, obviously upset, but dammit so was Grimmjow.

"Funny. I said the same fuckin' thing and look how that turned out. I damn near died because of that pussy!"

"That was different! You had no idea he was going to cheat and try to kill you!"

"How _the fuck_ is that different? Ya got no idea what that coward has planned! This ain't the fuckin' ring, Ginger; there ain't no rules out here!" Grimmjow yelled.

They were nose-to-nose, eyes spitting pure fire and body language intensely hostile, but Grimmjow wasn't about to back down. He refused to let anything happen to the red head. God, just the thought...

"So, you think I'm weak?" Ichigo asked quietly. Dangerously.

"Don't put fuckin' words in my mouth!" Grimmjow snarled.

"Then, what is it? Why don't you think I can handle one man?"

Was he insane? One man?

"You don't know if it's one man or not! He could be workin' with somebody or somethin' and then what? You ain't invincible!"

"Is this because I almost lost my fight? You don't think I'm capable of taking care of myself? Like I don't know how to watch my fuckin' back?"

 _Oh, for Pete's sake_...

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?"

"Forget it. I think I'm just gonna go. I'll talk to you later, Grimmjow," the red head stated and began walking away.

Grimmjow grabbed his arm and hauled him back until Ichigo's chest was pressed against his. He knew he should probably calm down, but he hadn't expected the sick feeling that roiled in his gut at the sight of the red head walking away from him. It had scared the shit out of him. Ichigo was glaring daggers at him and, had he been a lesser man, he probably would've been afraid.

"Let me go," the shorter man said quietly.

Grimmjow gritted his teeth. "No."

"Get. The fuck. Off me."

He wrinkled his nose in anger and gripped the red head's arm tighter.

"I. Said. No."

Ginger reared back like he was about to punch him, but stopped, brown eyes going soft, expression defeated. After staring at Grimmjow for what seemed like hours, he finally spoke.

"Grimmjow, I'm not some fuckin' woman you need to keep sheltered and protected all the time," he said, frustration lacing his tone.

"I never said you were. I know you're not weak and I know you can take care of yourself. It's just with this fuckin' guy, I'm not sure about anything. He's a coward who plays dirty, and you...I can't..." Grimmjow shook his head, unable to find the words to finish his sentence. Ichigo cocked his head to the right and considered him for a moment before wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing a kiss to his neck.

"I misunderstood. I apologize," he mumbled.

Grimmjow breathed a sigh of relief and hugged back. "S'ok, I shouldna yelled at you. Ya wanna go back inside?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm starvin'," Ichigo said as he pulled back and glanced around. "I don't remember where you parked."

"That's cuz you stopped payin' attention to the parking lot as soon as you recognized the building," Grimmjow muttered.

Ichigo smirked and nodded. "True. So where are we?"

"Tch. Come on, it's this way."

As Grimmjow led the red head to Desgarron, his thoughts went back to the current situation. He didn't trust that sneaky son of a bitch, Sharp, and he had a bad feeling the prick was threatening to harm Ichigo. Grimmjow clenched his fists and snarled silently. He would die before he let something happen to his Ginger.

XOXOXO

Oh, this was perfect. Watching the Sexta and the orange-haired man had proven exactly what he'd thought. They cared about one another a great deal, and Sharp was looking forward to torturing the Espada.

Letting himself be seen had all been part of his plan. He wanted the blue-haired freak to worry and become paranoid, never knowing when Sharp intended to strike. Now that Sharp had a picture of the orange-haired one, he would be able to get information on the man and find a way to get to the Sexta through that method.

Ahhh, revenge was indeed sweet.

XOXOXO

Two Days Later

"That's what he said. I didn't see the guy at all, so I can't tell you," Ichigo said softly.

"Wow!" Shinji exclaimed.

The lights from the club were spinning and blinking, making the swaying and gyrating bodies on the dance floor look like a scene from a horror film. Ichigo and Shinji were posted at a private booth towards the back thanks to Shinji's "connections." The popular club, Soul Society, was crawling with people in various stages of inebriation, Ichigo well on his way to being one as well. Shinji had called and insisted they go out to drink instead of staying in like Ichigo had requested, so they'd ended up at the club.

Ichigo was on his second drink, some concoction called a "Slow Blue Screw." He giggled drunkenly at the name, making Shinji glance at him with an amused glint in his eyes and a raised brow.

"How come you're not drunk?" Ichigo asked. "This stuff's strong."

"That's 'cuz the drink you have is an assortment of different types of alcohol. It's _way_ stronger than what I have, and besides...you're a friggin' light-weight."

"Well, what are _you_ drinkin'?"

"Apple Martini," Shinji chuckled. "So where's this guy you invited?"

"Oh, Shuuhei? He said he was comin'."

Ichigo put his drink down and took a few breaths. His head was a little fuzzy and he felt like he could definitely go for some fresh air. He wasn't completely wasted, but he sure was tipsy...as hell.

"Does Grimmjow know about this guy? And speaking of Grimmjow: I thought he was comin' too?"

"There's nothin' to know. Shuuhei's jus' a friend. And Grimm is s'posed ta meet me here. He hadda do somethin' first."

"Oh. And _yeah_ , a friend that just so happens to _like_ you. Hey, that him?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder and spotted Shuuhei making his way towards them. The guy was wearing a black t-shirt with a white skull on the front, black jeans with a black studded belt and black and white Converse sneakers. Two black leather, studded wristbands adorned his wrists. He looked hot.

"Yo," he stated once he was close enough to be heard clearly.

"'Sup," Ichigo slurred.

Shuuhei grinned and glanced at Shinji before holding his hand out. "Shuuhei Hisagi. You must be Shinji."

Shinji's eyebrows were at his hairline and his eyes were wide as saucers as he shook Shuuhei's hand.

"Yeah," was all he said. "I'm gonna take the drunk out for some air. You can wait for us here."

With that, Shinji hurriedly grabbed Ichigo's arm and bustled them away.

"Oi, slow down," Ichigo muttered as they exited the building through a back door, where Shinji wedged the door open with a rock in order to get back inside.

"Ichigo! _That's_ Shuuhei?" Shinji squeaked.

Ichigo frowned in confusion as he leaned against the wall of the building, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"He fights in the underground arena too! He fought Nnoitra once! He lost, but he was still pretty fuckin' good!"

This news completely sobered Ichigo. Shuuhei fought in Hueco Mundo? What a small fuckin' world! He wondered if it was safe to tell Shuuhei that he was an Espada. Probably not.

"C'mon, let's go back," Shinji said before grabbing the rock that held the door open and tossing it.

Ichigo followed him inside, feeling much better thanks to the air and the news about Shuuhei. He spotted the mop of spiky, black hair at the table and noticed the man had his head down like he was studying something in his lap.

"Whatcha doin'?" Ichigo asked curiously as he slid across from Shuuhei and beside Shinji in the circular booth.

"Readin'."

"Oh? Reading what?" Shinji put in.

"Nothin' particular. What were you guys having?" Shuuhei asked, smoothly changing the subject, Ichigo noticed.

Suddenly, Ichigo's phone vibrated in his pocket. He glanced at the readout and scowled. It was Renji. What was he doing texting him this late? Renji was like a housewife these days, usually asleep by ten.

_Tell Shinji 2 come 2 the frnt and get me in there. This line is fucked!_

Ichigo's eyebrows raised as he typed a reply.

_What the hell are you doin' here? And why are you up so late, old lady?_

_Fuck you! Ya didn't think I was gonna miss ya gettin' plastered 4 the first time ever, didja?_

Ichigo glared daggers at Shinji as he realized that Shinji must've said something to Renji. Question was, what did he tell him?

"Shin, ya gotta go let Renji in," Ichigo said calmly, searching the blond's face for some type of reaction. And bingo! There was the guilty look. "What did you tell him?" he hissed.

"Just that we're celebrating the loss of your virginity," Shinji responded sheepishly.

Ichigo's eyes widened and he was pretty sure his face was every shade of red imaginable. He glanced at Shuuhei uncomfortably and found him smirking. When Ichigo turned back to Shinji, he realized the blond had disappeared.

"Congrats, by the way," Shuuhei drawled as he twirled a stirring straw in a drink that Ichigo hadn't even noticed he'd ordered.

He was completely mortified. How could Shinji do that to him? True, Ichigo would've told Renji himself sooner or later, but that was it right there! _He_ would have told him. Now, not only did Renji know and was sure to ask the most embarrassing questions, but Shuuhei – someone he'd only just befriended – now knew his business. Ichigo leisurely sipped his drink.

He was going to kill Shinji.

At that moment, Renji plopped down next to him, wearing the biggest grin he could manage, and Shinji slunk into the seat beside Shuuhei.

"You're gonna die, Shinji," Ichigo said through clenched teeth. Shinji winced.

"Aww, c'mon now. It's not that bad, Ichigo," Shuuhei commented.

Ichigo noticed Renji's eyebrows shoot upwards as Shuuhei spoke.

"Renji, and you are?" the red head questioned, a slight frown settling across his features.

"Shuuhei. Ichigo's told me all about you and your other friends."

Renji glanced back and forth between Ichigo and Shuuhei before his mouth opened in an "O" of surprise.

"Ich, is this...your boyfriend?" He asked innocently, but Ichigo choked on his drink, spluttering noisily. Shuuhei chuckled and reached across the table taking Ichigo's hand that had been resting on top of it. Lifting it to his lips, he winked and kissed Ichigo's knuckles.

Ichigo snatched his hand away and frowned. What the hell was Shuuhei doing? But before he could respond to Renji's question, a deep voice cut across the music.

"Am I interruptin' somethin'?" Ichigo winced.

Grimmjow _would_ happen to show up right at that moment.

He looked up into irritated blue eyes and gulped. Grimmjow was glaring at Shuuhei with rabid zombie eyes, and had his hands shoved in his pockets. But damn, did he look good. He was wearing a form-fitting white t-shirt, light-blue jeans with the hems worn as if he'd been stepping on them, and a pair of black and white Converse sneakers. It was the first time Ichigo had seen the man wearing anything on his feet other than his motorcycle boots and he thought it was sexy. Ichigo cleared his throat and slid over to make room for him.

"No, these are my friends. You already know Shinji. This is Renji, and that's Shuuhei," he said nervously. Grimmjow was still shooting Shuuhei a death glare that would have withered the anti-Christ, but Shuuhei only grinned benignly. Finally, Grimmjow sat down next to Ichigo, although his eyes never left Shuuhei's. "Guys, this is Grimmjow."

At that, Grimmjow finally turned to Ichigo with a small grin before leaning over and kissing him. And not an innocent peck on the lips – oh, no – but a kiss full of tongue and lip nibbling. When Grimmjow pulled back with a cocky smirk, Ichigo thought his heart and face would explode. Renji's eyes were wide and lips parted in shock, Shinji wore a grin similar to the Joker, and Shuuhei...narrowed his eyes? Ichigo inwardly shrugged and glanced at Renji, waiting for the inevitable interrogation.

"Oh," was all Renji managed. "Th-that's him."

Ichigo smirked. What was wrong with the pineapple head? Normally the guy would begin a first-class inquisition whenever one of them was dating someone. Not that Ichigo had ever been a victim, but he thought for sure it was now his turn. Especially after what Shinji had told the red head, and after seeing with his own eyes Ichigo kissing Grimmjow as if his life depended on it.

"So you're the guy that Ichigo's seeing," Shuuhei stated with a sly smirk.

Ichigo didn't like that look one bit because he knew Grimmjow was already... _displeased_...with what Shuuhei had done earlier, and Ichigo really didn't need the dark-haired man instigating a confrontation. Grimmjow raised a brow and sat back in the seat with his hands back in his pockets.

"Yeah. So?"

"Just curious about my competition."

Ichigo's mouth fell open. What _the fuck_ was Shuuhei doing? They'd already agreed to being friends, so what the fuck was he even talking about? Ichigo chanced a glance at Grimmjow and grimaced. Grimmjow's eyes were glittering ominously and even though his face was expressionless, Ichigo could see the vein standing out on his neck, the left eyebrow twitching.

"Competition, huh?" Grimmjow asked quietly as his gaze lowered to the floor.

The hairs on the back of Ichigo's neck stood on end, alerting him further to Grimmjow's dangerous mood, so he decided that now would be a good time to say something before blood was shed.

"There _is_ no competition, Shuuhei. We're friends and that's all. I'm only seeing Grimmjow," Ichigo said firmly and was relieved to see Shuuhei smile.

"I know. I was just messin' with him," he returned calmly.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes as he brought them back up to Shuuhei's, but, mercifully, Shinji decided to diffuse the situation by suggesting another round of drinks. Ichigo used that time to speak quietly with Grimmjow.

"You OK?"

Grimmjow slowly glared at Ichigo from the corner of his eye. "Friend, hn? Where the hell'd you meet _him?_ I don't remember hearing _his_ name when ya told me 'bout your friends," he said sullenly.

Ichigo grinned devilishly. "You're jealous," he stated as if it was an epiphany.

Grimmjow just pursed his lips and pretended to be deaf.

"So what if I am?" he finally grunted.

Ichigo reached up and played with the hair at the nape of Grimmjow's neck, then leaned close to his ear. He slowly licked the shell and smiled when the blue-haired man shivered and growled low in his throat.

"Ginger."

"You don't need to worry. I'm not interested in anyone but a blue-haired, arrogant, rude idiot. Know him?"

"Ya forgot good-looking."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, went back to his drink and started a conversation with the others. He knew things were still a little awkward between Shuuhei and Grimmjow, but at least Grimmjow wasn't glaring at the man anymore.

"So, you confiscated my friend's virginity?" Renji asked out of nowhere, expression stern.

Ichigo face-palmed. Guess Renji was ready for the third degree now.

XOXOXO

"Ichigo Kurosaki: age nineteen. Father: Isshin Kurosaki, owner of Kurosaki Clinic. Two younger sisters: Yuzu Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki. Normal kid. He's going to the university downtown, studying Radiology. I've got addresses too. What do you want me to do, Sharp?"

"Nothing for now. I'll decide on that soon. Just be on standby until I need you, Takuya."

"Alright. So, I'm all done here tonight then?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"See ya, Sharp."

Sharp was seated behind his desk in his private office, smiling smugly at the ease of it all. He held valuable information about the Sexta's little lover and he absolutely couldn't wait to execute his plan. Keiji was doing only mildly better and Sharp felt he needed to direct his anger somewhere if he couldn't do it with Aizen just yet. Besides, he still had to settle the score for Luppi since the stubborn blue-haired asshole was still alive.

_He won't be so lucky next time._


	16. Despair

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Grimmjow didn't even know how the hell he was able to see two feet in front of himself, let alone carry a drunken red head over his shoulder to the bedroom. But somehow he managed, even if he swayed the whole way there, bracing his arms on the walls. Grimmjow reminded himself never to play any drinking games with Ginger's blond and red-haired friends ever again. Stumbling through the door, he'd only meant to drop Ichigo onto the bed, but ended up falling on top of him as well. Ichigo chuckled and ran his hand through Grimmjow's hair.

"We're pretty fucked up, Grimm," he slurred. Grimmjow just grunted and began sucking on the red head's neck. "Mmm, feels good."

Grimmjow raised Ichigo's arms above his head and followed them with the red head's t-shirt, pulling it up and off. Running his hands down the other man's sides, he finally captured Ichigo's lips and pried them apart, thrusting his tongue inside. Ichigo tasted like coconut flavored rum, and Grimmjow loved it. He licked around the red head's mouth, capturing every bit of that tantalizing essence before reclaiming those oh-so soft lips.

Ichigo was moaning into Grimmjow's mouth, kissing him back feverishly, and it was making Grimmjow's already heated blood boil. He yanked at Ichigo's jeans, popping the one button that held them together, before pulling them and the green boxers the red head wore completely off. He practically flew out of his clothes in the next instant, until he and Ginger were totally naked, and Grimmjow was pressing down against him. He didn't have time to waste on shit like clothes.

Before he could make any further moves, Ichigo sat up, pushing Grimmjow back until he was sitting back on his heels. What the hell? Suddenly, the red head had Grimmjow's very hard dick halfway down his throat, and it damn near undid him in his intoxicated state.

"Oh, shit," was all he could manage.

Ichigo spread Grimmjow's legs further apart and continued sucking the hell out of his erection, while running his hands over Grimmjow's stomach. Grimmjow leaned back on one arm and used his free hand to guide Ichigo's bobbing head as he ran his fingers through that soft orange hair. Shit! He didn't want Ichigo to stop, but if he let the red head continue like this, Grimmjow wouldn't last much longer. And he was way too drunk to manage a second round.

Very reluctantly, he tugged the smaller man away from his dick and up into a deep kiss. Grimmjow reached his hand around Ichigo's back and down to his opening, probing it gently with the tip of his index finger. Ichigo moaned deeply before leaning backwards, grabbing the bottle of lube from the nightstand, then handing it off to Grimmjow. Grimmjow had other plans, though. He set the bottle aside and ogled Ichigo's lean torso. Seeing the red head bent backwards that way, his obvious arousal pointing at Grimmjow as if accusing him of something, made the blue-haired Espada wrap long fingers around it and stroke before lowering himself to suck.

"Ohhmm," Ichigo half sighed and half moaned. "Fuckin'...fuck."

Grimmjow probably would've found that amusing had he not been feeling the exact same way. This time, Ichigo tugged on Grimmjow's hair and brought the man's face to his, but not for a kiss.

"I want you inside me. _Now_."

Holy shit, how could Grimmjow refuse? He turned the red head around and roughly pressed the younger man's face down against a pillow. After that, Grimmjow lifted Ichigo's hips and spread his legs. Ichigo wanted him inside him? So be it, then. Grimmjow only took a short moment to cover his shaft with lube before slowly pressing forward into his Ginger's unprepared opening.

"Nnnnghn...ahh!" Ichigo whimpered, but he didn't tell Grimmjow to stop. "M-more!"

Quite the opposite, actually.

Once Grimmjow was fully sheathed, he immediately began pounding into the red head, almost angrily as his thoughts went back to the club and that Shuuhei asshole. He silently snarled and leaned forward, grabbing the back of Ichigo's neck and essentially forcing the red head's turned cheek harder against the pillow. Using his other hand to grip Ichigo's hip, he began plowing into him, grunting and panting harshly, skin slapping against skin loudly.

"Ah! Grimm! Mm! Fuck, yes!" Ichigo yelled as his fists clenched the sheet in a death grip.

 _"Mine,"_ Grimmjow growled. _"All...fuckin'...mine."_

"Y-yeah. I-I'm all f-fuckin' yours," Ichigo stuttered between each near brutal thrusts.

"Good."

"Shit, Grimm!"

Grimmjow reached around with the hand that'd been gripping the smaller man's hip and stroked Ichigo's straining, leaking erection, never breaking his rhythm. In the midst of the elation, Grimmjow noticed his lover looking back at him out of the corner of one, glazed, passion-filled brown eye, mouth hanging open. Shit. He'd never seen his Ginger look quite like _that_.

"Argh! Grimm, I'm comin'!" Ichigo moaned lavishly, eyes squeezing shut.

Ichigo's tight passage spasmed wildly as he came all over Grimmjow's hand. The blue-haired man groaned in response, long and guttural as he was thrust into his own explosion from the red head's insides thoroughly milking him dry. Spent was hardly the word to describe Grimmjow's exhaustion.

He carefully freed himself from Ichigo's walls, lest he ended up collapsed over the younger man's back. He rolled onto his side next to Ginger after Ichigo slumped bonelessly to the mattress. He wasn't moving, but one of his chocolate hued eyes was cracked open, lazily watching Grimmjow. Grimmjow gently pulled him into his arms and kissed his forehead as he rubbed his back gently. Although he was exhausted and teetering on the verge of unconsciousness, he was still aware of the small amount of blood that had been left on his softening member. Perhaps he'd gotten just a tiny bit carried away.

"Did I hurt you?" he murmured.

"If ya did, I won' feel it 'til the mornin'," Ichigo slurred. He still sounded very much intoxicated, which made Grimmjow laugh quietly before going silent as the red head spoke again. "Ya know, ya don' have ta worry 'bout Shuuhei. I don' love him. He's jus' a frien'," he ended on a yawn before his eyes drifted shut, and he promptly started snoring.

Grimmjow felt like he'd just been doused in ice cold water after hearing Ichigo's statement. Not only did his Ginger know why he'd been so rough, but...did he really mean what he'd said? Or was that just drunk rambling? Would he remember in the morning basically confessing his love?

Grimmjow doubted it.

XOXOXO

"How are you feeling today?" Aizen asked softly, but kept his distance from the skittish young man. At least Gin had finally begun speaking again.

"Still in a lil' pain, but it's better," the silver-haired man croaked.

"That's good news, no?"

Gin nodded. "C'n I have some water please?"

"Of course," Aizen answered before moving off to pour the requested glass of water. Once he had, he hesitated before going closer to Gin. "I have to come near you to hand you the glass. Is that alright?"

Aizen remembered Szayel explaining to him that he would have to handle Gin very carefully, be aware of the distance the man wanted to keep, and always ask to do something if it meant going into the man's comfort zone. It would make Gin feel like he had a choice and might help in his recovery. So, that was what Aizen had been doing for the past two days, and it seemed to be working.

"It's fine," Gin replied quietly.

Aizen handed over the glass, eyes calculating and concerned. After a minute or so, Gin finished the water and handed it back to him, but as Aizen reached for it, Gin closed his hand around Aizen's wrist. Ice-blue met brown beseechingly, completely open and shining with unshed tears.

"Aizen, sir, I'm sorry!" he appealed. "P-please don't kill me!"

Aizen was floored. What did Gin mean? Why did he think he was going to be killed?

"Gin, why are you apologizing? Why do you think I want to kill you?"

"I failed you! I couldn't even bring that man back for you!" the silver-haired man gasped.

Thoroughly upset, Aizen completely disregarded the space rules Gin had set up as he sat on the edge of the chaise right beside the man. He grabbed Gin's chin with his right hand, the man's shoulder with his left.

"Now, listen to me, Gin. I would never harm you. Ever. You are the most important person in the world to me, the only person I truly trust. I don't want you to think that I'd cause you pain, let alone kill you," Aizen said firmly.

Gin stared at him with wide eyes for what seemed like forever, before they finally slitted into his trademark smile, and he leaned forward, placing his head against Aizen's shoulder. The older man was completely taken by surprise by the gesture.

"I'm sorry," Gin murmured.

"Stop making unnecessary apologies, Gin. I only need you recovered and at my side again."

"Yes, sir."

"Gin?" Aizen waited until the man answered with a quiet "yes, Aizen, sir" before he went on. "Call me Sosuke, please."

He smiled at Gin's silence, knowing the man was inwardly debating with himself about whether or not to actually honor the request.

"Sosuke," he said softly, and Aizen's smile widened as he put an arm around Gin's shoulders.

XOXOXO

Sharp smiled as he held up photos of two young girls. Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, eh? They should make wonderful leverage for what he had planned. Oh, he would make the Sexta suffer, and then dance gleefully in the aftermath. Ichigo Kurosaki would be the blue-haired man's undoing.

XOXOXO

Ichigo woke to a screaming headache and his ass cursing him to the deepest depths of hell. What the fuck? He was never getting drunk again for as long as he lived. He rolled over into the warmth that had been pressed against his back and smiled at Grimmjow's sleeping face.

Ichigo remembered everything that'd happened last night – or rather that morning. It'd been three in the morning when they'd gotten back to Grimmjow's place. Ichigo knew from what he'd said, though, that Grimmjow would think he was too drunk to remember anything, and that had been Ichigo's plan. Call him a coward, but even though he was afraid of outright telling the other man how he felt, Ichigo still needed him to know. So, he'd pretended to be more intoxicated than he really was and, more or less, let Grimmjow know he loved him. In his opinion, the words had been completely necessary. Grimmjow had been beside himself with jealousy and a dash of insecurity, if the way he'd fucked Ichigo had been any indication. But boy, did it hurt so fucking good. Ichigo hadn't been faking any of _that_. He'd been damn near delirious from the overwhelming pleasure and small amount of pain. He blushed when he realized he totally sounded like a masochist.

Just then, Grimmjow gave a deep sigh in his slumber and licked his lips before tightening the arm that was wrapped around Ichigo's waist. Then, he buried his nose into Ichigo's hair. Ichigo smirked and shook his head. Grimmjow was such a big kid. Rather abruptly, a loud buzzing emanated from the vicinity of the floor, interrupting the peaceful silence. Seriously? Who was calling this early in the morning? Sliding out of Grimmjow's death grip as quietly as possible, he reached over the side of the bed and extracted the noisy contraption from the back pocket of his jeans.

Incoming Call from: Shuuhei

Shuuhei? What did he want? Aww man. Ichigo cleared his throat and answered the phone.

"Yes?" he asked impatiently.

"Good morning, Ichigo. Did you sleep well?"

Ichigo face-palmed and sighed. What the fuck?

"Yeah, I did actually. I don't mean to be rude, Shuuhei, but what do you want?"

"Fine, fine. I need a really big favor. Suzuki-sensei stopped by my place this morning and dropped off a shit-load of fliers for a lecture he's giving in Nagasaki. I asked a bunch of other people, but they refused so, do you think you could help me put them up?" he asked.

Ichigo frowned. "And you really couldn't find anyone else?"

"If it helps, you were my last resort."

Ichigo blew out a frustrated breath. Grimmjow would be pissed, but Shuuhei was his friend, sort of, and he was only asking him to put up fliers. It wasn't like a date or anything.

"Fine. When and where?"

"Ah! Thanks, man! Meet me at Zanko's at three, cool?" Shuuhei asked excitedly.

"Yeah, OK."

Ichigo hung up without waiting for a response and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Why him? Sighing tiredly, he turned to climb back under the covers with Grimmjow, only to find said man glaring at him with sleepy blue eyes.

"I don't like that fucker," he said roughly before rolling over, turning his back to Ichigo.

"What the hell, Grimm? Don't you trust me by now?" Ichigo asked, more than a little exasperated.

"Ginger," the other man sighed. "It ain't you I don't trust."

"Well, it takes two to fuck!"

At Ichigo's tone, Grimmjow glared over his shoulder at him. "Fine, whatever. See if I give a shit."

"Arrgh! You're such a fuckin' brat!" Ichigo snapped as he stormed to the bathroom. Or rather he tried to, until the searing pain in his ass forced him to limp angrily. It didn't matter, at any rate, because Grimmjow was on him before he'd taken more than five steps, grabbing his arm painfully.

"Let me see how _you_ act when _you_ see someone trying their hardest to get into _my_ pants! _Then_ you can call me a fuckin' brat!" he snarled through clenched teeth before abruptly releasing Ichigo and stalking into the bathroom.

Ichigo stood rooted to the spot. He really hadn't looked at it from Grimmjow's point of view, but still! That wasn't an excuse to be an overly possessive, insecure idiot. Ichigo wanted to scream away his frustrations at the top of his lungs. This whole thing was ridiculous. He would just have to tell Shuuhei to back the hell off because even though Grimmjow was being a big baby, Ichigo didn't want to risk losing him.

Grimmjow emerged from the bathroom not much later, a towel wrapped around his waist and another draped over his shoulders. He didn't even spare Ichigo a glance. Damn, how long had Ichigo been standing there? He watched as Grimmjow finished the drying process and slipped into a pair of gray basketball sweats and matching pullover hoodie. Pulling on a pair of socks and running shoes, then grabbing his keys and wallet, he was at the bedroom door before he spoke to Ichigo over his shoulder.

"I'm goin' to get my bike from the club. Don't wait up for me," was all he said, before disappearing down the hall and out of the apartment, slamming the door behind himself.

Ichigo stood frowning at the bedroom door for the longest time, a strange feeling twisting his gut into knots, and a weird rising in his throat that he had to keep swallowing. His heart felt like it was being squeezed with an iron glove. Grimmjow had been really pissed.

Well, fine. If that's the way he wanted it, then that's the way it would be. Grimmjow was being unreasonable. He could have a little more fucking faith in Ichigo than that. Finally making his way into the bathroom, Ichigo relieved his bladder, brushed his teeth and showered. After dressing, he packed all of his belongings into his black duffel bag and left Grimmjow's apartment.

Ignoring the steadily climbing lump in his throat, he left the building and made his way to his own apartment. He had to clean it up anyway; might as well do it before he met Shuuhei at Zanko's.

XOXOXO

"Take that one. The one with the dark hair," Sharp said as he pointed at the photo. "Don't forget to blindfold her, and bring her back here to my office."

"OK, Sharp."

"Thanks, Takuya. You've been a big help."

"No problem. The pay is good," Takuya said with a sly grin.

"As long as the work is, so is the money."

"Right. I'll be goin' then."

Sharp nodded as Takuya left the office. He reclined in the plush seat, smiling smugly. Things were rolling along just right.

XOXOXO

He was so pissed, he couldn't even think straight, and that was hazardous on a bike. Grimmjow couldn't believe how nonchalant Ichigo was being about everything. That Shuuhei prick was trying to take his Ginger from him, and Grimmjow wasn't about to tolerate that shit.

He knew he was maybe overreacting, but he couldn't help it. If it was any other person, he wouldn't give a fuck if they fell off the face of the planet, but...the red head was different. Grimmjow cared. More than he cared about himself, in fact. Christ, who was he kidding? He loved the hell out of that orange-haired brat, and he was helpless to his emotions. He'd fallen so hard and so fast that it kind of scared him. Now he had to worry about some undeniably hot guy trying to fuck _his_ lover. Shit, no. He wouldn't stand for it. Of course, he trusted Ichigo, but Grimmjow was just...fuck...he didn't even know.

After riding around for over two hours with no real destination in mind, he headed back home. Maybe he should apologize for being such an asshole to Ichigo. Yeah, even though Ichigo was taking this Shuuhei situation way more lightly than Grimmjow cared for, Ichigo didn't deserve to get the cold shoulder.

Grimmjow stepped into a quiet apartment about half an hour later and scanned the living room before searching the rest of the place for the red head. When he didn't find Ichigo anywhere, he moved back into the living room and cursed as he plopped onto the couch.

_Don't wait up for me_

So, Ichigo had taken that literally, huh? Fuck. Grimmjow was such an idiot. He stared at his cell phone, tempted to call the red head, but resisted the urge. Damn his pride.

XOXOXO

"Ichigo, somethin' wrong?" Shuuhei asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Ichigo sighed. They were almost done putting up the fliers, and he was tired and irritated.

"Shuuhei, you _do_ realize that we're just friends, right?"

"Sure, Ichigo. Why? Big Blue givin' you shit about me?" he asked, while seating himself on a fire hydrant.

Ichigo glared at him. "Yeah, actually."

"I guess you want me to back off now, right?" Shuuhei continued with a strange glint in his dark eyes that bothered Ichigo.

"Well-"

"Has it ever occurred to you that I'm only helping?"

Ichigo frowned, confused. "Huh?" was all he could manage.

Shuuhei shook his head. "Tch. Look, Ichigo. I'm not a fuckin' prick. You told me you were taken, and I respected that. When I saw your guy, I kinda saw myself a few years ago. He's stubborn as shit, right? Got more pride than a peacock?" Ichigo only nodded. "Exactly. Have either of you voiced your feelings for one another? I mean, anyone with eyes can see that you're crazy about each other."

"No, we haven't. N-not yet," Ichigo said, wondering where Shuuhei was going with this.

"Ha! Figures. You're more likely to say somethin' before he does, and not that that's a bad thing, but you wanna hear how he feels too, right?" Again, Ichigo could only nod. "So, insert me. I lay on the flirting extra thick and bam. Feelings are bein' shown, am I right?" he asked, that glint back in his eyes, and Ichigo realized it was amusement.

Grimmjow had been jealous, possessive, insecure, and angry. Ichigo smiled to himself. He wouldn't show any of that shit if he didn't at least care, right? Ichigo gave Shuuhei a lop-sided grin.

"I guess I owe you an apology, huh?" He asked sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Shuuhei just grinned. "Nah. Mostly 'cuz I had more fun than I should have had flirting with you in front of your guy. 'Sides, I understand why he was so pissed. I would've been too if someone came along, threatening to take what I felt was mine."

Ichigo nodded. "Thanks, Shuuhei. You're not so bad after all."

"Awww, Ichigo, you're gonna make me blush. Quit it. Hey, I can put the rest of these up at the university on my own if you wanna pack it up early. Go have hot make-up sex with Big Blue," Shuuhei teased with a knowing grin and wink that made Ichigo blush furiously.

"Well, I do have something to do, but you can give the rest of the fliers to me, and I'll just put them up tomorrow after my classes," he offered.

Shuuhei nodded. "That'll work! Thanks! Well, go do that "something," and I guess I'll see ya around," he said, using air quotation marks to emphasize his point.

"See ya, Shuuhei," Ichigo said with a grin as he gathered the remaining fliers and walked away.

He never would've guessed at all that Shuuhei had been helping him in a weird, twisted kind of way. The guy really wasn't bad, and Ichigo felt a bit guilty about being so short with him. Then, he had to forgive himself because he really hadn't known, and he couldn't be expected to be nice in a situation like that. But now, he could head home and shower away the sweat before going to make up with Grimmjow like he fully intended to. However, his phone buzzing in his pocket brought him back to reality. Glancing at the screen, he frowned when he saw UNKNOWN.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Ah, nice to finally speak with you Ichigo-san. I have something of importance to you – or rather _someone_."

Ichigo felt the bottom of his stomach disappear. "Who the fuck is this?"

"Oh, excuse my manners. My name is Tanaka Sasaki. But you may know me as Sharp."

White-hot rage flew through his veins at the mention of that name. This guy! He had the audacity to contact Ichigo? How the fuck did the asshole get his number anyway? But wait. He'd said he had someone important to Ichigo. His stomach clenched before he asked the inevitable.

"W-who do you have?"

"Ahh, a certain little one by the name of Karin Kurosaki. Do you know her?" the man asked with a chuckle.

The blood drained from his face, and his heart literally stopped for a couple of beats. What? _How?_ Most of all, _why?_ Snarling, Ichigo gripped his phone tightly.

"What the fuck do you want, asshole?" he growled.

"Oh, well, that's easy. It's the Sexta, or your sister, Ichigo-san."

"What do you mean?"

"I intend to make him suffer, and that means using _you_ , Ichigo-san. It appears you alone can affect the Sexta, so, I will let your sister go if you stop seeing him romantically. Of course, if you choose not to agree, your sister will die. Simple, yes?"

Ichigo wanted to hurl and simultaneously curl up into a ball and die. What kind of choices were those? Let his little sister die, or stop seeing the man he loved? Was that a fucking joke? Who did this guy think he was?

"How do I know you have Karin? You could be ly-"

"Ichi-nii?" Karin's soft voice whimpered softly.

Ichigo felt faint.

"K-Karin?"

"Ichi-nii, help me!" she cried before the phone was moved away.

"Proof enough?" the cold voice asked.

"Fine. I'll do what you want," Ichigo whispered, bitterly defeated.

"Excellent! And if you're thinking of being sneaky and trying to see him after the deal has been made, well, I have insurance Ichigo-san. You really wouldn't want anything to happen to Karin or Yuzu, now would you?"

"No! I said I won't see him, dammit! Now let her the fuck go!" Ichigo yelled, making a few passersby glance at him fearfully.

"Fine, fine. She'll be returned unharmed to her home. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Ichigo-san," Sharp said before ending the connection.

XxxxxX

Ichigo had unconsciously made his way to Grimmjow's apartment during the phone call, mind set on making up with the man, but now as he looked up at the building, his stomach twisted violently at what he was about to do. What he _had_ to do.

Time seemed to stand still as he rode the elevator to the twentieth floor and plodded down the hall to apartment D. He knocked on the door stiffly, absently remembering the Anatomy and Physiology book he'd left in the kitchen. He could retrieve it and...

That thought was interrupted when Grimmjow opened the door and smiled before gradually frowning. Ichigo stepped past him and distantly heard the door shut. He felt like he was outside of his body, looking in. He hadn't even paid attention to Shiro trying to speak to him after that disastrous phone call. Ichigo went straight to the kitchen to retrieve his book, followed closely by Grimmjow. A hand on his arm jerked his eyes to a concerned blue gaze.

"Hey, you OK? I've been talkin' to you the last five minutes, and you haven't even said anything. You still mad at me?" Grimmjow asked, brow creased into a deep, confused frown.

Ichigo looked away, swallowing the lump rising rapidly in his throat and fighting the moisture stinging his eyes. No, he wouldn't cry in front of Grimmjow. This needed to be believable to work, so he lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and hardened his eyes.

"I don't wanna see you anymore, Grimmjow," he said, hating himself for the way Grimmjow's face paled.

"What the fuck?" the man asked breathlessly.

Swallowing what he really wanted to say, Ichigo repeated himself.

"I said I don't wanna see you anymore." He tried, but failed to keep his voice from breaking. "This...us...it's over." Running a hand over his face to keep from seeing the look on Grimmjow's, he stepped past the seemingly frozen Espada.

Ichigo made it to the front door before his arm was gripped, and he was pulled backwards. Shutting his eyes and clenching his teeth, he groaned helplessly. Grimmjow wasn't going to make this easy, and frankly, Ichigo didn't blame him.

"If this is a joke, Ginger, it ain't fuckin' funny," he said quietly, nose wrinkled in anger, and beautiful blue eyes hard as diamonds.

Ichigo felt like shit.

"It's not a joke, Grimmjow. I don't wanna see-"

"Stop fuckin' sayin' that shit!" Grimmjow barked, eyes wild and mouth pulled down into a frown. "You ain't makin' sense! Yer lyin'!" he ended with a low growl.

Ichigo could feel his stomach twisting violently again as he fought the urge to sob and retch at the same time. He never thought he would see naked pain and hurt in Grimmjow's eyes, and especially not because of him.

"I'm not lying-"

"SHUT UP! Yes, you are! I couldn'a made you _that_ fuckin' mad that you wanna up an' leave me! Tha's bullshit!" Grimmjow hollered, voice broken and limbs quivering with fury.

He abruptly pulled Ichigo into his arms and kissed him, sliding his tongue into his mouth effortlessly. For one glorious moment, Ichigo forgot himself and desperately kissed him back, holding tight to the man's t-shirt with one hand, school book in the other as he reveled in the familiar taste and smell. ...Until he remembered Karin and Yuzu. Then, he pulled back as if he'd been burned. Grimmjow frowned and tried to reel him in again, but Ichigo shoved him away. Blue eyes grew wide as Grimmjow stood absolutely still.

"Yer serious," he choked. "Why? Was I a game to you? Some fuckin' toy or somethin'? What the fuck, Ichigo?" he snarled lividly, fists clenched at his sides.

Ichigo covered his mouth, trying so hard to maintain an indifferent expression and stifle the sob that was forcing its way from deep within his chest. He couldn't stay anymore. If he did, he would fall apart in front of Grimmjow, and all his hard work would be for nothing.

"It doesn't matter. I gotta go," Ichigo said quietly before disappearing around the front door.

He rushed to the elevator, entire body trembling from all of the suppressed emotions wreaking havoc inside of him. Somehow, he managed to make it back to his apartment without incident. As soon as he stepped inside, he called his old man and casually asked about Karin and Yuzu. After being told they were both fine, he breathed a sigh of relief and tossed his phone onto the coffee table. He collapsed on the couch a second before the dam broke. Everything he'd been holding inside rushed at him like a speeding train. Grimmjow's face...oh, God...

Tears slowly tracked down his cheeks as his body was involuntarily wracked with gut-wrenching sobs. He wanted to go and make things right. He wanted to make that look disappear from Grimmjow's face. From his eyes. Ichigo curled up in the fetal position, feeling as though his heart was breaking into a million, tiny pieces.

XOXOXO

Grimmjow stood in the middle of his living room, glaring at the front door, thoroughly stunned and confused. His chest hurt, and his stomach was in an uproar. His head ached, and his heart... Christ, he didn't even want to fucking go there.

When he'd opened the door to see his Ginger – no, _Ichigo_ – standing there, he'd been insanely happy, thinking they could make up and go back to normal. God, he'd never expected what had happened though.

Ichigo had looked upset and extremely distracted while Grimmjow had been trying to apologize. He'd followed him into the kitchen, where he'd asked the red head what was wrong, only to have everything come abruptly crashing down around him. He still couldn't get the look Ichigo had been wearing out of his head. He'd seemed so...aggravated. Like Grimmjow was a waste of his time.

Grimmjow scowled and fell onto the couch, covering his eyes with the heels of his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. The pain was acute and fucking relentless. He hadn't believed Ichigo at first, wanting it to be a lie. _Needing_ it to be a lie. He'd wanted to grab Ichigo by the shoulders, shake him and scream at him. Tell him he _loved_ him, and that he just couldn't up and _leave_. That kiss had almost proven his point before Ichigo had shoved him away. _Twice_. Then the red head had left without so much as a goodbye. Grimmjow slowly rocked back and forth, hands still covering his eyes. He'd been so fucking _stupid_. He never should've opened up and trusted that little bastard.

For the first time since he was a small child, Grimmjow clenched his teeth tightly as tears slipped from beneath his eyelids.

So fucking stupid.

XOXOXO

Sharp smiled after ordering the Kurosaki brat returned home. Ichigo had done exactly what he'd expected him to. Too bad the kid didn't realize that Sharp had no intention of letting things end with the severance of his and the Sexta's relationship. Oh, no. He had so much more in store for the blue-haired Espada. Ichigo Kurosaki was merely a bonus.


	17. Comatose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, all this fluff. I was such a romantic piece of shit...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

_I hate living without you_   
_Dead wrong to ever doubt you_   
_But my demons lay in waiting_   
_Tempting me away_   
_Oh how I adore you_   
_Oh how I thirst for you_   
_Oh how I need you_

_Comatose_   
_I'll never wake up without an overdose_   
_Of you_

_I don't wanna live  
I don't wanna breathe  
'Less I feel you next to me  
You take the pain I feel  
Waking up to you never felt so real  
I don't wanna sleep  
I don't wanna dream  
'Cause my dreams don't comfort me  
The way you make me feel  
Waking up to you never felt so real_

_-Skillet-_

XOXOXO

**Five Days Later**

Ichigo heard banging. Loud, consistent, _annoying fucking banging_.

_Fuck 'em._

He really didn't wanna be bothered. He hadn't been to class all week, just holed up in his apartment, drinking himself to sleep every night. He now understood the purpose of alcohol. It was a wonderful pain numbing agent. Although, once you became sober again, the pain was ten times worse. Even while he was drinking, he had to force himself to ignore the pain that had settled over his heart.

_Fuck! Who the crap is at the door being so damn persistent?_

Stumbling out of bed in nothing but a pair of black pajama pants and knowing he looked like something death carried in a suitcase, Ichigo dragged himself to the door.

"Alright! All fuckin' right!" he yelled before swinging the door open.

"Ichi, where the hell – oh my _God_."

"Holy _shit_ , Ich."

Renji and Shinji. Perfect. Ichigo had been successfully hiding from the world, but especially from these two. Whenever someone dropped by, he pretended not to be home. He'd long turned his cell phone off, tired of all the calls and text messages. That morning, he'd forgotten that he'd been dodging everyone because the banging had been annoying as hell. He blew out a frustrated breath and retreated back inside the apartment, positive that they wouldn't leave now that they'd seen him.

 _Might as well face the music_.

He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and washed his face before returning to the living room. Getting comfortable on the love seat, he stared back at Shinji and Renji, who were currently gawking at him like he was a carnival attraction.

"OK, so, first of all...ya look like shit," Renji started.

"Renji!" Shinji admonished.

"What the _fuck_ , Shin? He does! Look at him! Have you even been _eating_?" the tall red head snapped sternly, focus back on Ichigo. "And tell me you haven't gone through _all_ of these fuckin' bottles _alone_?" Renji ended, pointing at the various bottles littering the coffee table.

 _Oh? He looks pissed. Well, welcome to the club_.

When all Ichigo did was glare at him, Renji continued. "Do you know how worried everyone's been? And why the fuck haven't you been in class? What the hell's goin' on, Ichigo?"

Ichigo was about to lay into Renji, yelling right back and then some. He needed a way to vent his frustrations, his anger, his _hurt_. Renji seemed more than happy to supply him with that outlet, but before Ichigo could even open his mouth, Shinji strode forward, stooped down to his level and wrapped his arms around him tightly.

"It's Grimmjow, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

Now see, Ichigo could deal with anger, sarcasm, rudeness, yelling...anything but _that_. He wasn't prepared to deal with _nice_ yet. Not when he deserved to burn in hell for what he'd done to Grimmjow. So, instead of answering Shinji like he'd planned to, he ended up crying. Silently at first, the only indication being the tears and slight shaking of his shoulders, until they manifested themselves into loud, embarrassing sobs. He was pathetic. He found himself holding onto Shinji's shoulders with his face buried in his friend's neck, while the blond rubbed his back soothingly. He was such a fucking pansy, crying like a girl.

"Aw, damn, Ich," Renji uttered as he flopped onto the couch.

Great. Now they were going to pity him, and that was the last thing he wanted. God, but it still hurt so badly. He couldn't even think of Grimmjow's name without his chest tightening and his stomach suddenly feeling queasy. The man probably hated Ichigo's guts right now, and there was nothing Ichigo could do about it. He shuddered as his crying subsided to occasional sniffs, and Shinji took that as his cue to speak.

"Ichi, what happened?"

"I-I can't talk about it," he whispered, throat clogging up again.

"Why did you break up?" Ichigo glanced up in surprise, but Shinji shrugged. "Starrk kinda told me you two called it quits."

"How did he find out?"

"Are you kidding me? You and Grimmjow are doing the same thing, only in different locations. Starrk said he went to check on Grimmjow because he'd forfeited a fight, and the guy was locked up in his apartment, drinking himself to death. Now, I don't know what's going on, and it's none of my business to begin with, but...Ichi, you're my friend. I can't just stand back and watch you self-destruct. And Grimmjow's kinda grown on me, so I don't want him to die from alcohol poisoning either," Shinji explained.

"I don't know what to do," Ichigo stated helplessly as he stared down at his hands.

"You love him, huh?" Renji finally put in.

Ichigo's heart twisted in agony as he nodded. "Yeah, but he probably hates me now, and there's nothin' I can do to fix it."

"Tell us what happened," Shinji pleaded, features creased with worry and concern. Ichigo glanced uncertainly at Renji, but Shinji shrugged again. "He knows about Hueco Mundo and the Espada already, Ichi."

Ichigo allowed his mouth to fall open. How? Why? What the fuck? He always seemed to be a step behind everything. Fuck, had he been the only one that hadn't known about Hueco Mundo?

"I already knew for a while. Byakuya and I go sometimes, and one night I spotted Shinji there. I hadn't seen you though, but I did recognize Grimmjow right away," Renji chuckled.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Is that why you were so shocked when you met him at the club?" he asked.

Renji just nodded. Well, that changed everything. Being able to share this with two people that cared about him and that he cared about in return would be extremely helpful. Ichigo cleared his throat before beginning.

"Well, there's this guy that tried to kill Grimmjow-"

"Sharp, right?" Renji asked as he glanced at Shinji, who nodded.

"So, Grimm and I were at this bike show, when all of a sudden, he takes off running outside. When I caught up to him, he told me he'd seen the prick and that the asshole had taken my picture. I honestly, didn't think much of it until about a week ago, when I got a phone call from Sharp. He had Karin." Shinji gasped, and Renji sputtered indignantly as if on cue. "He wanted to make a deal. He said he'd let Karin go if I stopped seeing Grimm romantically. I had no choice, or the guy would've killed her!" Ichigo said defensively.

"Oh my God, Ichi, and you've been dealing with that all _alone_?" Shinji squeaked.

Ichigo nodded. "It damned near killed me tellin' Grimm I didn't wanna see him anymore. He was so hurt and angry, Shin. Christ, I'd never seen that look on his face before, and if it was up to me, I never would have. I miss him," Ichigo sighed dejectedly.

"So, what's stopping you from seeing him now?" Shinji asked angrily as he stood with his hands on his hips.

"Sharp said he'd hurt Karin and Yuzu if I did, and he's got somebody watchin' me. I go get my mail at night when no one's around, and there's always an envelope with pictures of my place, the school, the clinic, G-Grimm's place." Ichigo shook his head. "I'm fuckin' stuck between a rock and a hard place, as cliche as that sounds."

"That motherfucker. Shinji, where – Shin?" Renji glanced at Shinji, and that was when Ichigo noticed the angry look on the blond's face.

"That heartless _dick_. Yeah, hello? Ikkaku, lemme talk to Yumi," Shinji stated. He'd opened his phone and was in the process of talking to God knows who. "Yumi? Hey, it's Shinji. Yeah, I need to come see ya. No, it's my friend, Ichigo." Shinji laughed shortly before continuing. "Yeah, the orange-head. So, tonight then? Good! Thanks, Yumi. I owe ya one. See ya!"

Shinji ended the call and stared at Ichigo, which made Ichigo shift uncomfortably. He glanced at Renji, glad the red head looked just as confused as Ichigo felt. So, what the hell was going on?

"Yumi's a male escort. He knows everything there is to know about everyone, so we're going to talk to him tonight. Maybe he can give us some information on this guy, and then maybe figure out what to do about him. I can't fuckin' _believe_ he's threatening Karin and Yuzu. And Ichi, you _jackass_! How couldja sit on your ass and not tell us about this? We coulda helped you!" Shinji snapped as he plopped down onto the couch next to Renji.

"Uh, do we even wanna know how you're affiliated with a male escort?" Renji asked nervously.

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Tch, baka! I am a tattoo artist," Shinji enunciated. "Yumi is one of my clients."

"Ahh. Ya had me scared for a sec'."

"Renji, you're an idiot. Seriously. But Ichi, we're gonna help you take care of this shit. You and Grimmjow deserve to be happy."

"Thanks, Shin," Ichigo replied softly.

He was completely overwhelmed with emotions, but most of all, he finally felt a sliver of hope.

XOXOXO

"Go awaaaaayyy," he moaned, face-down on the couch.

Someone was knocking on his door, and he didn't feel like moving from his spot to answer it.

"Open the fuckin' door, Grimm! I know yer in there!"

Nnoitra. Of course it had to be him trying to tear the Goddamned door down. Dragging himself from the couch, Grimmjow shuffled lazily to the door, threw it open and shuffled back to the couch, where he plopped face-down once more. He listened to the door shut and the love seat rustle as Nnoitra sat down. Grimmjow wouldn't even look at the tall man he called his friend. He knew he looked pathetic and was a mere shell of himself, but he just couldn't bring himself to give a shit. About anything.

Five whole days of being alone, and this time there was no promise of a reprieve. Ever since Ichigo had left him, Grimmjow had taken to sleeping on the couch because sleeping on his bed was fucking torture. It still smelled like Ichigo, and all Grimmjow would dream about was waking up with the red head in his arms, smiling lazily up at him.

Sleep had become his enemy as well, since every time he closed his eyes – yeah, you guessed it – he saw Ichigo. Whether he was just holding him, or outright fucking him, it was excruciating. He'd tried drowning his pain in alcohol, but that had only made him violently depressed. The framed paintings on the walls had been testaments to that, as they now lay smashed in bite-sized pieces in the trash. Not to mention, the completely humiliating email he'd sent Ichigo during one of his drunk-capades. What made it worse was that Ichigo hadn't even bothered to respond. Then Grimmjow had missed a fight, causing Starrk to come and chew him out. The brunet had been a pal, though, and had ended up throwing out all of Grimmjow's alcohol, while talking a tiny bit of sense into him at the same time.

Grimmjow was well and truly miserable without Ichigo, and it didn't look like it was going to get any better. He felt like a fool; he felt pathetic. This wasn't him. Depression wasn't supposed to be a part of his character, but he _missed_ Ichigo. He missed him, even though he was pissed at him. He still loved Ichigo, even though he tried to convince himself that he hated him. It was a vicious cycle, and he had no idea how to extract himself from it.

He huffed a sigh and finally turned his head to glance at Nnoitra. The skinny fuck had his elbows resting on the arms of the love seat, long fingers steepled as he regarded Grimmjow with one narrowed eye.

"So, what? You came to just stare at me?" Grimmjow asked grumpily.

"OK. Who the fuck are ya, and what the fuck have ya done with Grimmjow?" Nnoitra asked, deadly serious.

Grimmjow raised a brow before giving a short bark of laughter. "I can't even answer that my damned self."

"Grimm, is this 'cuz the orange-head, uh...left?" Grimmjow cringed at that last word, but otherwise didn't respond. "Shit, if that's love, then I want no parts of it."

Grimmjow couldn't say anything to that. Love. He'd finally admitted to himself that he loved Ichigo, only to have the little jerk walk out on him. That image had scarred him for life. Seeing Ichigo walk out of his door without a goodbye, or even a backward glance had...Jesus.

"I gotta tell ya somethin' anyways," Nnoitra continued. All Grimmjow did was raise a brow. "That Sharp guy got to Gin and Shawlong. Killed Shawlong, then fucked and beat the shit outta Gin."

Grimmjow's eyes widened, mouth falling open dramatically. It was possible to actually touch Aizen's little pet? Wait, fuck that. Aizen hadn't retaliated? Why wasn't Sharp dead yet?

"And the fucker's still alive?"

Nnoitra nodded. "Aizen's involved in this shit personally, so his days 'er pretty much numbered 'til Aizen gets tired of playin' wit' him."

"No fuckin' wonder he's back to targeting me and Ichig-" Grimmjow stopped mid-sentence.

 _It hurts saying his name out loud_.

Nnoitra frowned deeply. "Makes sense 'cuz Aizen did the same thing to this Sharp guy's little brother that was done to Gin. Only thing is, he had big ass Naoto doin' the fuckin' part."

"Damn."

Naoto was damned near Yammy's size, so Grimmjow almost felt bad for Sharp's brother. _Almost_. He just didn't have it in him to really hold remorse for anything or anyone dealing with Sharp.

"So, wait. Ya said ta Starrk that the orange-head didn't give ya a reason fer leavin'. Ya think maybe that guy had somethin' ta do with it, if he's targetin' ya again? 'Cuz this shit ain't addin' up fer me. That kid was fuckin' crazy 'bout ya, so fer him ta just up and... _leave_? That make sense ta ya?" Nnoitra asked and, _by God_ , he was actually making a logical point.

"I-I don't know. It's possible," Grimmjow said absently.

Had Sharp done something to make Ichigo leave him? If so, then he had no reason to hate him because it wouldn't have been by choice like Grimmjow had initially thought. Damn, but this line of thinking was dangerous. It gave him something he had lost five days ago when Ichigo'd left. Hope. If Ichigo really had left on his own though, he would just be torturing himself again. Fuck. There was that vicious cycle again.

"I say we do some investigatin'. This prick's in way over his head an' don't seem to realize it. Ya'd think after havin' the orange-head break his fuckin' face, he wouldn't intentionally piss him off. 'Sides, Sharp cheated when he fought ya, 'cuz without it, it was pretty obvious ya was gonna wipe the floor with him. So, let's see. He's got Aizen, you, the orange-head _and_ Gin ta worry 'bout. He ain't too bright if ya ask me," Nnoitra stated.

"Investigating, huh?" Grimmjow asked, fully intrigued now. He sat forward, eyes bright and body ready for action. "Where do we start?"

Nnoitra gave his trademark piano-key grin. "I got my sources."

XOXOXO

"It's good to see you up and walking, Gin-san," Szayel stated after entering Aizen's office.

"Thank ya, Szayel. It's 'cuz a yer help, anyway," Gin said, wearing his signature eye-closing grin as he stood in place beside Aizen's desk.

"How are the bandages for your ribs?"

"Tight. But I'm guessin' they're s'posed ta be that way."

Szayel smiled, seemingly truly relieved that Gin was back to his normal behavior. Aizen grinned as he regarded the pink-haired man. Twice this soldier had saved Aizen's people, and Aizen wasn't one to ignore loyalty and excellent work.

_Szayel deserves a reward; perhaps a pay raise?_

"Szayel, I'm going to give you a raise. You deserve it for what you've done for Gin and also for Grimmjow. If not for you, two more of my valuable employees would have been destroyed. Take this as a form of thanks, if you would," Aizen stated, inwardly beaming at the look of surprise on Szayel's face.

"A-Aizen, sir, I was only doing my job," the pink-haired man stuttered.

"You don't want the raise?" Aizen asked, lifting a brow.

"Well, I do, but-"

"Then, say no more. You may go now. I have to speak privately with Gin."

"Yes, Aizen, sir. Th-thank you," Szayel stated with a bow before he turned to leave.

Once Szayel was gone, Aizen turned in his seat to face Gin. Gin was smiling and waiting patiently...just like he used to before the incident. Aizen gave him a genuine smile in return, heart warming at the sight before him.

"Gin, there are certain matters I must tend to, but if you're not up to the task, that's fine. I'm aware that you probably don't wish to affiliate yourself with anything dealing with Sharp but-"

"Wrong!" Gin interrupted, smile completely gone. "I don't give a shit if I gotta crawl ta do it. I'm gonna kill that fucker wit' mah bare hands!"

Aizen's eyebrows flew to his hairline at this statement. He thought Gin wouldn't want anything to do with his rapist, but this was a surprising, yet pleasant development. He found himself smiling again as he stood and moved towards Gin. The silver-haired man was shaking with fury, and his hands were clenched into tight fists. Aizen lifted the man's chin with his forefinger and gently let his lips cover Gin's. Gin stiffened at first, but soon recovered and all but melted into Aizen's chest. Aizen allowed Gin to dictate the pace and was surprised when the man swept his tongue across his bottom lip, silently requesting entrance. Not so surprised that he didn't comply though.

Their tongues tangled and danced as Aizen pulled Gin closer, ever mindful of the silver-haired man's bandaged ribs. Gin tasted like peppermints from the candy he had such an affinity for, and Aizen found himself trying to suck every last bit of that flavor from the other man's tongue.

Ahh, he could've gone on for hours, but there was work to be done and a certain man to be found...so, reluctantly, he pulled away. Gin's eyes slowly opened, and Aizen marveled at the burning passion he saw in them. Placing a chaste kiss on his lips, he stepped back.

"That was unexpected, but I will make sure that you have the chance to do just what you please with Sharp," Aizen said softly.

Gin smirked. "I'm more s'prised 'bout that kiss," he said quietly. "And that I didn't wanna stop ya."

"Perhaps-" Aizen started, but a knock at the door interrupted him. Sighing inaudibly he returned to his seat. "We'll speak later."

"Yes, si – I mean, Sosuke," Gin corrected himself with a slight blush that Aizen found terribly endearing.

"Come in," Aizen called, and his eyebrows raised exponentially at the sight of Starrk Coyote. "Well, what may I do for you, Starrk-san?"

"Aizen, sir, there are important matters that need to be discussed about this Sharp person," the man stated lazily after bowing in the same manner. Aizen normally found that behavior amusing, but his focus had been taken by Starrk's words.

"Oh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Take a seat, and tell me about it."

XOXOXO

"I'm really sorry I worried everyone," Ichigo stated remorsefully as he glanced around his living room at the various faces of his friends.

Ishida glared at him. Orihime and Rukia smiled with relief, while Chad just nodded sagely. Ichigo was glad they didn't hate him or anything because he wouldn't be able to handle that.

After speaking with Shinji and Renji earlier that morning, they'd convinced him to "turn his fuckin' phone back on," and talk to the rest of their friends. Ichigo had almost fallen to the floor when he'd noticed the amount of text messages, email and voice mail left on the device, but absolutely nothing had prepared him for the email he'd received from one Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. It was dated for three days after Ichigo had left. His heart had fallen clear out of his chest, and his entire body had shaken uncontrollably.

Ichigo had been afraid to read it. He was afraid it was a rant about how much the man hated him and never wanted to see or talk to him again. He'd swallowed thickly, trying not to have an anxiety attack, but Shinji and Renji had noticed his suddenly odd behavior. Shin had gone on to tell him not to read it until he was ready, so he hadn't. He still had yet to read it. Yeah, he knew already, OK? He was a fucking coward.

"I'm just glad you're OK, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said cheerfully.

"Yeah, we thought something bad had happened when no one could reach you," Rukia added.

"You were irresponsible and thoughtless! Inconsiderate! You-" Ishida began hotly, until Orihime placed a hand on his leg, making him stop short and adjust his glasses.

Ichigo, on the other hand, had been nearly bowled over with astonishment. Ishida had actually seemed worried about him. Not to mention, what was that with Orihime? He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I know, Uryuu, and I'm sorry."

"Just don't do it again!"

Ichigo nodded and smiled. He'd been so engrossed with wallowing in sorrow, he'd forgotten he had pretty good friends that could have helped him through his pain. He wouldn't do that again.

Suddenly everyone started gathering their belongings and moving towards the door. What happened?

"Well, Kurosaki-kun, we've got a student-council meeting at the university, so we'll see you later," Orihime announced as they made their way out of the door.

"Yeah, we just wanted to make sure you were OK before going," Rukia again added.

"Ahhh, alright. See you guys Monday, then," Ichigo said.

"Bye, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Later, Ichigo," Chad added.

The only ones to stay had been Renji and Shinji, of course. Shinji was taking him to see some guy named Yumi, and Renji refused to be left behind.

"So, what time are we goin' to see this Yumi person?" Ichigo asked. He'd already showered and dressed, but now he was hungry. That in itself was a miracle, since he'd barely eaten for the past five days.

"He said around eight, so we've got some time to kill. It's only five. Ya gonna cook, Ichi?" Shinji asked hopefully, and even Renji's face brightened.

"I, uh, I don't have much here. I gotta go shoppin'," he said softly.

Ichigo hadn't really bothered to do much shopping the past few weeks because he'd always been at Grimmjow's place. He felt his face flush. Was it normal to feel so strongly about one person?

"Well, me and Cherry-red could go grab a few things. I don't know about him, but I miss yer cookin'," Shinji supplied. Ichigo nodded as Renji eagerly agreed.

"Fine, here. Take my card," he said as he moved to his bedroom to retrieve his wallet.

Once he had, he handed it to Shinji and began cleaning the kitchen. He would clean thoroughly while they were at the store; he'd neglected his apartment long enough. Sighing, he made his way back to the bedroom and changed into a t-shirt and a pair of sweats, his thoughts haunted by a certain blue-haired man.

'King? Ya gonna talk ta me now?' Shiro asked tentatively. Ichigo smiled. He'd been neglecting Shiro too.

'Yeah, sorry, I've been kinda-"

'Ya don't gotta tell me. The weather's been crappy in here lately, so I know. 'Sides, it's time ya did somethin' bout this guy, ya know? If ya don't, then I will!'

'What do you mean the weather's been crappy? I thought it was always nice?' Ichigo questioned, a little confused.

'Whenever yer sad, it rains. The sadder ya are, the harder it rains. Real depressin'. When yer pissed, I get the pleasure of dodging lightnin' and shit. Thunder scarin' the crap outta me. S'not fun,' Shiro said dryly. Ichigo laughed until tears were rolling down his cheeks. 'Ain't that fuckin' funny, King.'

'Yes, it is. You have my fear of thunderstorms! So, how ironic is it that my emotions are represented by that very thing?'

'So, what 'er ya gonna do? Ya gonna beat this fucker like a drum 'er what?' Shiro asked, changing the subject.

Ichigo wiped his face and went to the kitchen after cleaning the bathroom and the living room.

'Trust me, Shi, if I can find him, he's as good as dead.'

'Good. I never thought I'd be sayin' this, but I kinda miss that blue idiot. He was real funny.'

'Look at that. Even my other personality loves him,' Ichigo said mischievously.

'OI! I ain't say nothin' 'bout love! That's yer job, not mine!'

'Whatever you say, Shiro.'

Ichigo could hear Shiro growling, and it made him chuckle. Once he'd started seeing Grimmjow, he'd realized it was perfect material to torture his other half with, and he did it mercilessly.

'Sadistic creep,' Shiro muttered, watery voice sullen.

'Only for you, baby.'

Ichigo felt Shiro retreat further into his strange horizontal world and cackled loudly. Aww, he's sulking.

'Fuck you, King,' Shiro's voice sounded as if he were really far away, which only made Ichigo laugh again.

'Don't be that way, Shiro.'

As expected, Shiro didn't respond. He was now ignoring Ichigo and truly sulking like a four year old. Ichigo had just finished the dishes and wiping down the small kitchen table, when his thoughts were drawn to Grimmjow's email. He bit his lip in consideration. He was alone, and there would be no witnesses to his humiliation.

He grabbed his phone and, taking a deep, shaky breath, opened the email and began reading.

_Ichigo, I don't know where to start..._

_If I fucked up, you shoulda just said somethin' instead of leavin'. I said I was sorry, what more d'ya fuckin' want? OK, no. I didn't mean to curse at you._

_I know I prob'ly sound like a fool to you or worse like I'm beggin', but...fuck...maybe I am. Shit, this ain't comin' out right at all._

_I miss you._ _I want you to come back. I know I was an ass, but I can fix that, yeah?_

_Grimm_

Ichigo couldn't stop the flow of tears even if he'd wanted to. He tucked his bottom lip between his teeth and plunked his head down on the table as his emotions undid him. Instead of being cursed out, Grimmjow had been apologizing for no reason and asking him to come back. God, Ichigo was such a wuss. But...Grimmjow. Shit. Ichigo finally said fuck it and typed up a reply. He pressed 'send' before he could chicken out and went about fixing his face before Shinji and Renji returned.

XOXOXO

Nnoitra left to find his "source," so Grimmjow thought it would be a good idea to clean his apartment. He'd let it go to shit, and that was kind of unacceptable. He started with the living room, moving to the kitchen, then the guest bathroom. He hesitated before entering his bedroom. Shit. He would have to go in there sooner or later.

He pushed the door open and paused before slowly entering. Fuck it. Grimmjow quickly went to the bathroom and started straightening up. He could smell Ichigo's coconut shampoo and had to clench his teeth against the onslaught of emotion it provoked.

What the fuck had Ichigo done to him? He couldn't even function properly when he thought about the younger man. This shit wasn't fair _._ He hurried from the bathroom after putting out fresh towels and taking the used ones with him. Tossing them to the floor, he attacked the bed, pulling the sheets and blanket off. He paused when he had the pillowcase Ichigo had used in his hand before bringing it up to his nose.

Fuuuuck, why had he done that? Grimmjow slowly sat down on the naked mattress, still clutching the pillowcase. After a minute or two, he returned the pillowcase to the pillow and smirked as he ran his hand over it. He could keep it there for a little longer, right?

Grimmjow gathered all of the dirty linen and towels and made his way to the laundry room connected to the kitchen. Once he had everything loaded into the washing machine, he started it up and grabbing a bottle of water, moved into the living room to watch a movie. When he plopped down on the couch, he noticed a light on his phone blinking. Frowning, he lifted the device and activated the screen. What he saw made him drop the phone in shock. _What the?_ Almost frantically, he grabbed it from the floor and with shaking hands opened the email.

_Grimm, I'm sorry. Please don't hate me. I don't deserve for you not to, but...I'll fix this. I promise. I didn't have a choice before, but I do now._

_Besides...I love you._

_Ichigo_

Grimmjow felt moisture stinging his eyes as a slow smile spread across his face and he exhaled a long sigh of relief.

"Ginger."


	18. You Got Me

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

_I've been waiting all day_

_To wrap my hands around your waist_

_And kiss your face_

_Wouldn't trade this feeling for nothin'_

_Not even for a minute_

_And I'll sit here long as it takes_

_To get you all alone_

_But as soon as you come walkin' my way_

_You gon' hear me say_

_There goes my baby_

_-Usher-_

XOXOXO

Ichigo jumped when his phone alerted him to a new text message, and his eyes widened when he checked the readout.

_Do you mean that?_

He smiled as he typed his reply.

_Of course I do._

_I wanna hear your voice. I'm gonna call you._

Ichigo shifted nervously, wondering if his phone was bugged or something before he finally sent an affirmative message. Not even half a minute later, his phone was buzzing. Taking a deep breath, he answered.

"Grimm." He sighed the man's name like he was in the middle of a back-rub. There was a brief silence on the other line before Grimmjow spoke.

"Fuck," he croaked. "Do you have _any idea_ what you fuckin' put me through, Ginger?"

Ichigo simultaneously winced at his words and breathed a sigh of relief at the use of the annoying nickname that had eventually become an endearment. If Grimmjow was calling him that, then he couldn't despise him.

"I'm so sorry, Grimm. I didn't know what else to do. He was gonna kill Karin and...and...shit, I'm sorry," Ichigo stated helplessly. "I hope you can forgive me one day. I just needed you to know that I don't hate you, and I didn't fuckin' mean any-"

"That shit doesn't even matter! Shit, I need to see you," Grimmjow finished softly.

"You _can't_. Sharp has someone watching my house, the school, my Dad's place – hell, even _your_ place. My phone could be tapped, but...when I saw your message... I couldn't take it anymore. I miss you," Ichigo mumbled.

"I'm gonna kill that motherfucker," Grimmjow growled before sighing deeply. "There're some things I need to say to you that I don't wanna say on the phone. I'll figure out a way to see ya soon, Ginger, you can bet your ass on that."

Ichigo blinked in surprise as he realized the call had been abruptly ended, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry or upset about it. Grimmjow didn't seem like he hated him, and that was all he could ask for.

His stomach grew warm, and a small smile pulled at the corners of his lips. Hearing Grimmjow's voice had been like food for a starving man, and Ichigo felt so much better. At that moment, Shinji and Renji trooped back inside the apartment, arguing loudly.

"So fuckin' what! I want gyudon!" Renji shouted.

"Well, I don't! I want tempura!" Shinji yelled back.

Ichigo shook his head and smiled.

 _Honestly. Those two argue like they hate each other_.

"Shut up! I'll make both. Tell me you got the things I'll need?" Ichigo interjected, smiling happily.

Shinji stared at Ichigo before nodding, a slow smile spreading across his face. Renji looked back and forth between the two wearing a confused expression as he scratched the back of his head.

"Did I miss somethin'?" he asked, but Ichigo shrugged.

"So, I'm guessing it wasn't bad news," Shinji said coyly, as he set the bags he'd been carrying on the kitchen table.

Ichigo just grinned sheepishly. "Uh, actually, I spoke to him," he muttered, staring down at his hands intently.

Shinji's chuckle brought his gaze back up quickly.

"So you guys made up then?" Renji asked.

"He doesn't hate me like I thought he did, but he hung up before we could really discuss anything."

"What do you mean?" Shinji scowled.

"He said he was gonna find a way to see me soon," Ichigo answered as he began preparing the food.

"Ichi-"

"Shin, I know, OK? I told him Sharp is watching me, and that just made him say he was gonna kill the guy. Besides, I wanna see him too. If he can find a way to do it that won't put my sisters in harm's way, then I'm all for it."

Renji gave a crooked grin as he regarded Ichigo silently. Shinji finally sighed heavily and sat at the table.

"I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," Ichigo agreed.

Ichigo cooked dinner, and they ate silently at the table, each engrossed in his own thoughts. Finally 7:30 rolled around, and they all loaded up into Renji's car, Shinji giving directions that led to a relatively quiet area on the outskirts of Karakura.

They arrived at a medium-sized house and trooped up to the front door, where Shinji rang the bell. After a few minutes, what could only be described as a very pretty man, answered the summons, wearing a wide smile. Ichigo openly stared. He couldn't help it. The guy was really feminine, and Ichigo had never seen anything like him before. The man was around 5'7", couldn't weigh more than 130 lbs., had black hair that was cut in a short bob, and wore what looked like red and yellow feathers above and to the side of his right eye. He was wearing a yellow yukata, and his feet were bare.

"Shin-chan! Long time no see!" he cried and lunged forward, wrapping Shinji in a crushing hug. "Come, come! You're letting the heat out!"

They stepped into the foyer and removed their shoes before following the man to a room off to the left. It was a large living room with pale yellow carpeting, a plush, white semi-circular couch, a long wooden coffee table, a mounted flat-screen TV and soft orange walls.

"Sit, sit," the man urged before disappearing from the room.

"Shin, that's a _guy_?" Renji stage-whispered.

Ichigo couldn't stop the snicker that escaped his lips, making Shinji glare at the both of them.

"You _idiot_. How can he be a male escort if he's not a male? Now shut up before your stupid turns contagious or something," Shinji scolded.

The man swooped back into the room and sat across from them on the other side of the couch. He looked Ichigo and Renji over before smiling warmly.

"I'm Ayasegawa Yumichika, but just call me Yumi. Shin-chan tells me you need some information on someone, Orange Hair," he said in a friendly manner while Renji nodded.

"Ichigo," Ichigo corrected. He would not allow this...man...to call him Orange Hair.

"Sorry...Ichigo. So, what do you need to know?" Yumi tilted his head ever so slightly and passed a hand through his hair.

"Do you know about a man named Sharp?" Ichigo asked, wasting no time at all.

Yumi turned his eyes skyward and quirked his lips in a thoughtful expression before his eyes brightened with recognition.

"Tanaka?"

"Er...I think he said that's his name," Ichigo replied, scratching his head.

 _Fuck. What a time to forget things_.

"I know him. He and his boyfriend used to come to me all the time. Tanaka is bad news," Yumi said, his nose wrinkling. "It's a good thing that he didn't know about his boyfriend coming to see Ikkaku every weekend."

"Ikkaku?" Ichigo asked dumbly.

"Oh, yeah, my roommate. Those two used to keep me awake almost all night. Then Ikkaku would walk around with almost nothing on! _So_ not beautiful," Yumi shuddered delicately.

Ichigo sat silently and let the hilarity of the situation envelope him until it burst forth in the form of hysterical laughter. All eyes turned to him showing various levels of surprise and amusement.

"Ich, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Renji asked with a grin.

"Is your friend OK, Shin-chan?" Yumi stage-whispered, to which Shinji only shrugged, his eyes wide.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was grasping his stomach as tears rolled down his aching cheeks.

_Holy shit! It's too fuckin' much!_

That idiot Sharp was playing the scorned avenger, while the guy he was avenging had been fucking someone else.

 _Jesus, I can't breathe_.

"Oiiiiiii," Renji called.

Ichigo slowly sobered and faced his friends. "Sharp tried to kill Grimmjow because of some warped sense of vengeance for his boyfriend that Aizen had killed. Now it turns out his boyfriend was cheating on him. That's not funny to you?" he asked as he wiped his eyes. "Shit's funny to me."

"Tanaka tried to kill that blue-haired hunk?" Yumi gasped.

Ichigo immediately bristled in anger, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "How do you know Grimmjow?" he asked stiffly.

"Don't worry! I don't know him _personally_ , but I have seen him around, and I remember when he used to do free-lance grunt work. He's _so_ hot," Yumi said as he fanned himself. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Thank God_.

"Wait, Ich, you said Aizen had Sharp's boyfriend killed. Why?" Shinji asked with a scowl.

"Grimm told me the guy, Luppi, had planned to have Aizen killed, and Aizen found out about it."

"Yeah, Luppi was too arrogant and cocky. He thought he deserved a better rank than what he had, and when Aizen wouldn't promote him, he started throwing his fights for money. After that, he was demoted, and that's when he started talking about having Aizen killed. Aizen's second-in-command, Gin Ichi-somethin', found out and told him," Yumi supplied.

Ichigo froze.

_Gin?_

"Ichimaru?" he asked hesitantly, and Yumi nodded.

Ichigo swallowed. What the fuck? Why didn't he know that? That asshole was his boss's second-in-command? What kind of twist of fate was that?

'Sorry 'bout that, King. I sorta forgot ta tell ya that part,' Shiro said quietly.

'No shit! Too late now!'

"Ich, you OK? You know this Gin guy?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah, he sorta caused some problems for me in middle school. That was a long time ago, though. So, Yumi, how does Sharp have the sources to find me and kidnap my fuckin' sister?"

Ichigo was getting irritated just thinking about it.

"Tanaka Sasaki, AKA Sharp: Leader of the Soul Reapers and dealer of most things illegal. Drugs, weapons, you name it. If it's illegal, he probably has his hand in it," Yumi said and sat Indian-style in his spot on the couch.

"The Soul Reapers?" Shinji asked. "I've heard of them. Supposedly, they go around with these strange masks and kill people for any or no reason at all."

"Mm. They used to be more organized and worked under certain ethics with the old leader, Barragan Luisenbarn, but he suddenly stepped down and disappeared. Only a few people know where he is," Yumi ended with a yawn.

"Are you one of them?" Ichigo asked.

He knew exactly who Barragan was and where he had "disappeared" to. Yumi grinned devilishly.

"Of course. I would never say, though. That knowledge is rare for a reason."

"Mm. So, how does Sharp fit into the equation?" Renji asked.

"Well, he was Barragan's second-in-command, and when Barragan left, it was only natural that Sharp take over. He turned the Soul Reapers into a shady group of mask-wearing thugs. Not beautiful at all. But, that's where he gets his manpower and resources. It's undeniable that he makes a lot of money, so it's easy to keep people at his disposal with the promise of being paid," Yumi explained.

"That makes sense. If we could find his base of operations, I could go in and get rid of him," Ichigo growled the last part, and Yumi raised a brow.

"You plan on going alone?" he asked incredulously.

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't have plans for anything just yet since I still have to find the bastard. But once I do, I plan to kill him slowly and painfully."

"Well, I can help, but you have to promise me something," Yumi baited, making Ichigo lift a brow skeptically.

"What?"

"I want the red-head."

Ichigo swore he could've heard a pin drop... _on the carpet_. That was how quiet it got. He chanced a look at Renji and saw his friend's face had gone as white as a sheet, his hands gripping his knees. Shinji certainly wasn't helping the situation at all by bursting into laughter.

"Um, but he's-" Ichigo started, unsure of what he should say exactly.

Yumi raised an elegant brow before cackling.

"Oh, dear! Not _him_! Haha! I meant that strong, silent Espada. That long braid gives me wet dreams," he sighed.

"Ara! Too much information, Yumi!" Shinji chuckled as Renji sighed audibly.

"Holy shit," Renji whispered, the color returning to his face.

Ichigo just sat dumbfounded. He still had a problem.

"Er, Yumi? I don't even know if he likes guys," he said. "He rarely even _speaks_!"

"He'll like _me_."

Yumi seemed extremely confident, and that was all well and good, but what the fuck was Ichigo supposed to do? He couldn't just walk up to Aaroniero and say, "hey, this guy wants to fuck you." Yeah, Noveno would probably kill him where he stood.

 _Shit_.

"Fine."

What? Did you think he would pass this chance up? Fuck no. He'd risk it.

"Uwaaaahhh!" Yumi squealed and bounced energetically in his seat. "Yooosh! I know where Sharp's headquarters is. I can give you that, but the rest you'll have to get on your own. My knowledge _does_ have a limit."

XOXOXO

"This better not be a fuckin' waste of time, Nnoitra," Grimmjow growled.

"Quit yer whinin'. This is mah source, so ya better be nice, or I'll kick yer ass."

"You wish."

Even though Grimmjow sounded surly and grumpy, he was actually floating around ecstatically inside. After first receiving Ichigo's message, he'd sat in disbelief. _'Besides...I love you.'_ He kept seeing those four words in his mind over and over, but he needed to hear it from the red head himself. Grimmjow needed to see his face as he spoke those words – only then would he believe it.

Grimmjow hadn't been expecting a response to the text message he'd sent, but when he'd gotten one, he'd crumbled. He'd desperately needed to hear Ichigo's voice, so he'd called him. And damn if he didn't almost lose his composure upon hearing his name from his Ginger.

Ichigo had gone on to confirm Nnoitra's suspicions of Sharp being behind his leaving, and Grimmjow had felt almost insane with anger, but he'd kept his head. Now he needed to see Ichigo like he needed to breathe. He had a plan, but he couldn't act on it until he accompanied Nnoitra to see this "source."

"So, who's this source?" he asked sullenly.

"Her name's Cirucci. She owns that bar by that little cafe ya always used ta go to. She knows some seedy folks, so I thought we'd go speak ta her and see if she knows yer guy," Nnoitra stated as they pulled away from Grimmjow's apartment building.

The rest of the ride was silent, leaving both men to their individual thoughts. Grimmjow couldn't stop thinking about Ichigo and how sad the guy had sounded. Well, Grimmjow would fix that with what he had planned. His face creased into a wide grin as he thought about it. He couldn't wait.

They arrived at a modest establishment, where people of all walks of life milled around, either at the restaurant styled booths or the long bar. Nnoitra led Grimmjow to a booth in the back after leaning down and whispering something to a short dark-haired man with wide innocent eyes. The little guy hurried off after bowing slightly.

"Who was that?" Grimmjow asked as they settled into their seats.

"Hm? Oh, that was Hanatarou. He's Cirucci's assistant."

"Mm."

Nnoitra ordered two shots of vodka, and it made Grimmjow cringe. He was still a bit shy of hard liquor after his binge drinking, so he only ordered a beer. After a few minutes of waiting, an extremely short woman with deep violet hair and matching eyes approached their table.

"So? Whattaya want, Stick?" she asked, irritation evident in her husky voice.

"Oi! That ain't no way ta speak ta me, ya know? 'Specially when I'm spendin' money in yer place," Nnoitra snapped.

The woman rolled her eyes and shoved Nnoitra over to make room for herself.

"OK, Stick. What's up?"

"I need some info, if ya got it."

"About?" She asked as she eyed Grimmjow, making him lift an eyebrow in amusement.

Was she checking him out? _Ha. Wrong tree, lady_.

"My friend here needs ta know if _you_ know anythin' 'bout a guy named Sharp," Nnoitra explained.

"What's your name?" the woman asked Grimmjow abruptly.

"Grimmjow."

"Grimmjow? You used to work for Masaru, right?"

"Mm. I did a job for him once or twice. Is that relevant?" he asked, beginning to get annoyed.

Why the fuck was she interrogating him?She shrugged and ordered a drink.

"I like to know who I'm assisting. So, yeah...you could say it's relevant." Grimmjow grunted, and for some reason that made her smile at him. "I'm Cirucci, but Stick probably already told you that."

"Mmhm."

"So...why do you wanna know about Tanaka Sasaki?" she continued after sipping her drink that had just been delivered.

"I owe him a debt," Grimmjow said with a sinister grin.

Cirucci raised a brow, then shook her head, a slow grin forming. "He's in a lot of hot water these days, then."

"Meanin'?" Nnoitra prompted.

"I heard he's been overstepping his bounds a bit with almost everything he's involved in. Ripping off loyal clients, his goons rob and kill people for no reason, and he's gotten reckless. I also hear he's been baiting your boss, Stick."

"Wait, clients? Goons? Who _is_ this guy, 'Rucci?" Nnoitra asked at the same time that Grimmjow planned to ask the same things.

"You heard of the Soul Reapers, right?" She waited for them to nod before continuing. "Well, when the old general left, Sharp took over. He completely ruined their reputation, if you ask me. He got them involved with drugs, illegal weapons and prostitution, stringing them along with the promise of money. It's disgusting. Barragan is pissed, and I'm sure he's thinking about reclaiming his throne," Cirucci explained before sipping her drink again.

Nnoitra exchanged glances with Grimmjow, and it was obvious that he was thinking the same thing.

_Barragan Luisenbarn? As in Segundo?_

"You talkin' 'bout Luisenbarn?" Nnoitra took the initiative in asking.

Cirucci gave a sly grin. "Why, Stick, don't tell me you didn't know that about your own teammate?"

"Tch! Yeah, well, it ain't my job ta be all in his business, OK?"

"Whatever. _Yes_ , he was the former general of the Soul Reapers, back when they actually had a _purpose_ and ruled the underworld with some type of morals. Now, they're just delinquents."

"That's all well and good, but where can I find _Sharp_?" Grimmjow spoke for the first time since Cirucci's interrogation.

Said woman only regarded him silently. He was about to ask again, when she stood from the table.

"I know a guy that might know something. Come back tomorrow night, and I'll have what you need," she said.

"Thanks, 'Rucci, I definitely owe ya one," Nnoitra said, displaying his wide grin.

"You owe me more than one, Stick. One of these days, I'm gonna collect." She turned to Grimmjow and held out a hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Sexta." Grimmjow nodded and shook her hand. "See ya, Stick."

"Yeah."

Cirucci sauntered off and disappeared into the throng of people. Grimmjow glanced at Nnoitra before rising from his seat.

"Ya ready? I got somethin' to do," he announced.

Nnoitra smiled again and climbed to his feet, then dropped a few bills on the table.

"Yeah, ya don't wanna be late er nothin'."

"Shut up," Grimmjow responded and was sorely tempted to roll his eyes as they left the bar.

XOXOXOXO

"This is upsetting," Aizen stated as he rested his chin on his fist.

"Yes, sir."

Aizen knew that the reason Sharp was targeting Grimmjow was because he had promoted him to the Sexta position, Luppi's former rank. Aizen didn't like it. Now, he'd been informed of his new Septima being targeted as well because of his involvement with Grimmjow, which was surprising in itself. Aizen remembered chuckling to himself at the news of the Septima, whose name he had thought was Shiro. His real name happened to be Ichigo Kurosaki, and "Shiro" was a direct result of a split personality. After a small internal debate, he'd decided to keep the kid on as the Septima.

A few moments ago, Starrk had come to him, telling him of the situation between Grimmjow and Ichigo. Aizen had had to smother his surprise at the news of Grimmjow being seriously involved with anyone at all. The man's persona screamed loner. To find that he'd been mistaken was a shock for Aizen.

"Send Ulquiorra to Ichigo's home tomorrow. I want the full story before I proceed. Also-" Aizen started, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter!"

Tousen stepped into the office and bowed respectfully. Aizen observed his confident stance and deduced that it couldn't be bad news. Tousen would be much more nervous.

"Yes, Kaname?" he asked.

"This was found in Shawlong-san's abandoned vehicle a few hours ago. It seems to be notes about Sharp, but more importantly, there's an address, Aizen, sir."

Aizen's eyebrows lifted as he held his hand out for the papers.

_Is the information legit?_

"Let me see it," he commanded before snatching the offered sheets.

Taking a moment to glance over them, he noted that it was definitely Shawlong's handwriting. The notes stated Sharp's behavior, business dealings, and finally...his whereabouts. It was real.

"Have Barragan come to my office, please."

"Yes, Aizen, sir."

XOXOXO

"Shinji, why the fuck are we at a hotel?" Ichigo asked as he peered out of the car window.

"I have to meet a client here to pick up a design," Shinji answered nervously, making Ichigo scowl.

"I'm comin' with you. I don't trust this setup," he said as they climbed from Renji's car.

Ichigo stood at the entrance, waiting as Shinji exchanged words with Renji, whose eyebrows shot up after what was said. Then a wide smile spread across his features as he went to presumably find a parking space.

Shinji jogged towards Ichigo, but paused to type something into his phone. Ichigo was beginning to get impatient. He just wanted to go home and hopefully talk to Grimmjow again. Fuck, he couldn't wait until this whole shit with Sharp was over.

Finally, he and Shinji strolled to the elevators and boarded, where Shinji pressed the button for the sixth floor. They rode in relative silence, the only noise coming from Shinji's phone since he was in the middle of a text conversation with someone.

 _Probably the client_.

The elevator stopped with a jerk and that strange stomach-falling sensation before they stepped off, and Shinji paused in front of room 606. He knocked twice and entered, Ichigo right on his heels. He wasn't gonna let some creep jump his friend. The hotel room was nice. Off-white carpeting covered the floor, and the walls were the same ivory color. There was a door to the left that Ichigo assumed led to the bathroom, and the bed...

Ichigo gasped loudly like a frightened girl and stood rooted to the spot. There, sitting on the bed next to a gray duffel bag and wearing a small smile, was Grimmjow. Ichigo knew his mouth was hanging open, and his heart was knocking against his ribs, but... _Grimm. His Grimm_.

"Ahem! Well, I guess I'll be goin' now," Shinji stated with a smile.

Ichigo couldn't respond. Hell, he couldn't even tear his eyes away from the blue-haired man before him.

"Thanks, Blondie," Grimmjow said.

Ichigo vaguely noticed Shinji nod and give a small wave, then slip from the room, the door closing quietly behind him, leaving the two alone. Grimmjow rose from the bed and slowly approached Ichigo until he was right in front of him. Ichigo wrung his hands and bit his bottom lip, but not from nervousness. No. It was to keep from throwing himself into Grimmjow's arms like some cheesy romance novel. God, but he wanted to. He stared into those electric blue depths and began to worry the longer the silence stretched on.

_Why won't he say anything? Is he really mad at me?_

Ichigo lowered his head and scowled as he chewed on his bottom lip some more. What should he do? What if-

But then, Grimmjow snorted, bringing Ichigo's worried gaze back up to his face. A small smile appeared before Grimmjow shook his head slightly and pulled Ichigo into a tight hug.

"I told you I'd see you soon, Ginger," he murmured into his ear.

And then Ichigo's composure tumbled to the ground like children blocks as he pressed his face into Grimmjow's neck and clung to him like a wet leaf. Ichigo swallowed repeatedly, chanting to himself that he wouldn't cry but, holding on to the person he'd wanted to see so badly, the person he'd thought for sure hated his existence, and being held back just as tightly, seemed to kick his resolve to the moon.

Ichigo never wanted to let Grimmjow go again. _Ever_. He'd never felt the way he felt for Grimmjow about anyone, and he wanted to keep him around for as long as possible.

Grimmjow pulled back a little, but slipped his arms around Ichigo's waist and stared into his eyes. Ichigo tried to staunch the flow of moisture leaking from them, but couldn't. He was completely overwhelmed at the moment and powerless to his emotions. Grimmjow lifted his hands, cupped Ichigo's face and using the pads of his thumbs, wiped away his tears.

"I thought I'd lost you for good, ya know? I don't wanna lose you again. Ya got that?" Grimmjow demanded in a quiet tone. Ichigo nodded, so he continued. "So, now I need to hear you say it, Ginger," he finished.

"Yes?" Ichigo was a little confused, mind on something completely different.

"No, Ginger. Focus here."

"Sorry," Ichigo grinned sheepishly.

"Your message. I need to hear you say it."

It finally clicked in Ichigo's mind, and he smiled as he lifted his hands and wrapped them around Grimmjow's wrists. Locking eyes with him, he spoke words he had only ever said to his family.

"I love you, Grimm."

He watched Grimmjow close his eyes and exhale deeply before gazing into his eyes once more. The man nodded.

"Good, 'cause I love you too, Ichigo."

As if a dam had been broken, they surged together, kissing desperately, hands tearing at each other's clothes. Even though only five days had passed, it had been too fuckin' long as far as Ichigo was concerned. They stumbled towards the bed, where Grimmjow fell backwards, pulling Ichigo on top of him. Ichigo tugged roughly at Grimmjow's t-shirt, satisfied when he heard tearing. He tasted Grimmjow's neck and collarbone, then down his chest to his right nipple. As he sucked the small nub between his lips, he reveled in the blue-haired man's groans. He treated Grimmjow's left nipple in the same fashion while his hands roamed down to the button of his jeans. Making quick work of the man's pants, they soon lay in a pile on the floor along with his boxers and ripped shirt.

 _God, I missed that sight_.

A very naked Grimmjow leaned back on his elbows and watched Ichigo with a half-lidded blue gaze.

 _Beautiful_.

"You got too many things on, Ginger," he muttered.

Ichigo snapped out of his reverie and nodded as he stood and stripped in record time. He climbed over Grimmjow until he was straddling the man's waist, then rubbed their naked erections together, drawing deep, lusty moans from them both. Ichigo dipped his head and captured the soft lips below him as he slipped his hand between their bodies, grasping Grimmjow's hard length to stroke it.

"Nnnnghnn," Grimmjow moaned as he sat up, keeping Ichigo in his lap.

Ichigo felt like he was dancing on cloud nine as Grimmjow's hands traveled over his body, and his mouth attacked his neck. When the man squeezed Ichigo's cheeks then spread them apart to slip a finger down to tease his opening, he almost squealed like a woman.

"Ahhh, shit, Grimm!"

"I can't wait," Grimmjow mumbled in Ichigo's ear. "Grab that bag behind you."

Ichigo complied and waited for Grimmjow to rifle through the contents before producing the bottle of lubricant they normally kept at his place. Tossing the bag aside, Grimmjow covered the fingers of his right hand before pulling Ichigo back into his lap. Ichigo moaned as Grimmjow quickly inserted his index finger. In no time at all, he'd inserted up to his ring finger. Ichigo writhed and panted as he rose and fell against the man's sinfully long fingers. Unable to take the anticipation, he grabbed the back of Grimmjow's head and after kissing him sloppily, pulled back to glare at him.

"I'm ready, dammit!" he ordered. Grimmjow narrowed his eyes, but covered his length with the slick substance, then lined himself up at Ichigo's quivering opening and paused. "Please, Grimm!"

"Shit."

Grimmjow gripped Ichigo's hips and slammed into him in one go, knocking the breath from his chest.

 _God, yes! This is what I've been waiting for_.

Ichigo clung to Grimmjow's shoulders, and after adjusting, rose and fell, impaling himself once more as both men moaned in ecstasy. It was so fucking good!

"Fuck, I missed you," Ichigo growled.

Grimmjow grunted as he met each fall with a thrust of his own, his arms now wrapped tightly around Ichigo's waist. They moved together faster and harder, flesh slapping flesh noisily, and Ichigo could feel his toes curling as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge.

"Haah...haah...Grimm..." his words were cut off when Grimmjow grabbed the back of his head and drew him into a deep kiss, tongues twining languidly.

Then he pulled back and locked eyes with Ichigo."I love you," he murmured.

Ichigo, feeling as though his blood had turned to lava, came forcefully, tears springing to his eyes from the intensity. He leaned his forehead against Grimmjow's, still holding eye contact.

"I love _you_ ," Ichigo responded, and Grimmjow tightened his arms around Ichigo as he moaned his release.

They held that position for a while, neither man willing to move or separate. In the end, exhaustion won out as Grimmjow fell backwards against the pillows, keeping Ichigo pressed flush against his chest. Ichigo grinned sleepily up at him before kissing his chin, then reached down for the blankets that had ended up at the foot of the bed. Once he pulled them over his shoulders, he immediately began drifting off, vaguely feeling a kiss pressed to his forehead. For the first time in five days, he was truly happy.

XOXOXO

"Go get both of them, Takuya. I see I have to make Ichigo-san learn the hard way not to go back on his word," Sharp said irritatedly.

Takuya nodded and left the office as Sharp sighed. Things were probably going to get very ugly.


	19. Riot

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

_If you feel so filthy  
So dirty, so fucked up  
If you feel so walked on  
So painful, so pissed off  
You're not the only one  
Refusing to go down  
You're not the only one  
So get up_

_Let's start a riot, a riot_   
_Let's start a riot_   
_Let's start a riot, a riot_   
_Let's start a riot_

_-Three Days Grace-_

XOXOXO

**10:15 AM**

Ichigo could hear his phone vibrating, but he didn't want to move. He was right where he wanted to be, and that was wrapped tightly in Grimmjow's arms, breathing in his scent and basking in his warmth. The man was draped over Ichigo like a blanket, making movement impossible without waking him first. Grimmjow's long right leg was thrown across both of Ichigo's, his long right arm was wrapped tightly around Ichigo's waist, and his face was buried in Ichigo's hair. Yeah, Ichigo wasn't going anywhere. Not that he wanted to in the first place.

The phone was being pretty persistent, though.

"Tch, Ginger, what the hell is goin' on with your fuckin' phone?" Grimmjow mumbled, making Ichigo chuckle softly.

"Hell if I know."

Grimmjow tightened his arm as if to indicate that he didn't want Ichigo to move, but the gesture was wasted since Ichigo'd had no intentions of moving to begin with. Burrowing deeper into Grimmjow's arms, he kissed the man's chest and grinned when he heard a low growl.

"Don't start if you don't plan to finish."

This time, Ichigo licked a trail from between Grimmjow's pectorals up to his Adam's apple, where he gently sucked. He smirked when he heard Grimmjow's breath catch before he uttered a soft moan.

"Ginger..."

Ichigo turned facing away from Grimmjow, grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand and spread a healthy coat over the man's already hard length. He lifted his leg, guided Grimmjow to his unprepared entrance and pushed backwards slowly.

"Mmmm...Grimm," he moaned.

"Nnghn, shit," Grimmjow groaned and hooked his arm under Ichigo's knee. "Impatient much?"

Ichigo just wrapped his arm around Grimmjow's neck and turned his head to kiss him as they started a slow, burning pace. Each thrust was long and deep, gradually building and tightening the coil nestled within Ichigo's pelvis.

"So gooood...f-faster, Grimm, please!" he begged, his lips still pressed against Grimmjow's.

The blue-haired man gladly complied and quickened the pace, but still kept his thrusts deep, stimulating Ichigo's prostate relentlessly. Ichigo threw his head back and cried out, tone delirious.

"Ah, fuck, Ginger. Ya like that?" Grimmjow growled as he nibbled Ichigo's ear lobe.

"Yes! Yes! God, YES!" Ichigo yelled as he tightened the arm wrapped around Grimmjow's neck.

"Nnn? So, ya like when I fuck ya like this?" Grimmjow asked before pounding into him hard and fast.

Ichigo arched his back and gasped loudly, chest burning from the abrupt lack of oxygen.

"OH, SHIT! YES! JUST LIKE THAT!"

Ichigo completely lost himself to the moment. It felt so damned good! Grimmjow knew just how to press his buttons. Suddenly, his entire body tensed as he came hard enough to curl his toes.

"Mmmm," Grimmjow moaned as he followed right behind Ichigo.

Grimmjow let go of Ichigo's leg as he eased out of him and they lay there for a few minutes, calming their breathing and racing hearts. Ichigo licked his lips and sighed as he finally rolled out of the bed. Meanwhile, Grimmjow was still sprawled on his back, looking up at him with half-lidded blue eyes.

"C'mon, get your ass up. We gotta clean up," Ichigo said as he tugged on the larger man's arm.

"I'm comin', I'm comin."

After a quick shower, both men made their way back to the bed, but Ichigo was reminded of his buzzing phone as soon as he sat down to dress.

"What the fuck?" he grumbled irritably. Grabbing the annoying device, he checked the ID and frowned upon seeing his old man's name. "Old-"

"Ichigo, we need to talk. Come home. Now," Isshin stated, deadly serious before abruptly hanging up.

Ichigo felt the bottom of his stomach drop to his knees as he hung his head and fought the nausea trying to overwhelm him. Yuzu and Karin. It had to be about them because he'd only ever heard his old man that serious when their mom had died. Ichigo cursed softly. Now, he felt intense guilt pressing in on him. If something had happened to his sisters, it would be his fucking fault for being selfish. Not to mention, he'd been having sex while his dad had been trying to reach him.

_Dammit!_

Ichigo started slightly and turned to face concerned blue eyes when he felt a hand on his back. Grimmjow was seated next to him, silently encouraging him to speak.

"Ginger, tell me. I won't let you hide shit from me again."

"That was my old man telling me to come home and talk. I think it's about my sisters."

Grimmjow frowned. "You want me to come with you?"

"Grimm, I don't want you to think I'm ashamed of you...of _us_...but I need to do this alone."

"Fine."

It seemed like Grimmjow had been thinking about protesting, but eventually thought better of it. Ichigo gave a brief smile and began getting dressed before his heavy thoughts started weighing him down again. He had no idea how his old man was going to react to the things Ichigo needed to tell him, and Ichigo was more than a little afraid. Isshin was normally a goofball, so to hear him so serious was incredibly scary. Add to that the fact that Ichigo was worried sick about his sisters.

Ichigo was dressed in his clothes from the previous day and already standing by the door, when he hesitated before spinning on his heel and going back to Grimmjow. Ichigo hadn't forgotten what the blue-haired man had said about killing Sharp, and he didn't want the idiot to do anything foolish. Ichigo came to an abrupt stop right in front of the man and narrowed his eyes, causing angled blue brows to pull into a scowl.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Ginger?"

"Don't do anything stupid, Grimmjow," Ichigo said darkly.

Grimmjow just grinned rakishly. "Aww, ya worried about me?"

"I'm fuckin' serious! I don-"

Ichigo was cut off by a deep kiss, his mouth open pried open with ease, and an expert tongue slipping past his defenses. Ichigo was tempted to let his body sag against Grimmjow as they kissed, even though he knew the other man was trying to distract him. He was ashamed to admit that it was working.

"I won't do anything stupid," Grimmjow said softly, after pulling back from the kiss.

Ichigo considered him for a minute before sucking his teeth and shaking his head.

"I gotta go. Um..." Ichigo hesitated. "At least _try_ to stay outta trouble, OK?"

Grimmjow grinned wolfishly and nodded, and Ichigo just _knew_ his words were falling on deaf ears.

XOXOXO

**12:15 PM**

Ichigo's heart thudded loudly in his chest as he sat on the worn couch of his childhood home, staring across the coffee table at a stern-faced Isshin. His old man had his arms folded across his chest and was giving Ichigo a death glare the likes of which he'd never seen before. Ichigo had just explained everything to his father, starting with the whole Shiro business, down to him being in love with a guy. Through his entire explanation, Isshin hadn't said a word; he'd just glared at Ichigo. Ichigo knew the man was pissed because it turned out that Yuzu and Karin had _indeed_ disappeared. Ichigo twisted uncomfortably in his spot on the old couch and glanced away from his old man.

"Say somethin', Dad," he mumbled.

Isshin shifted his weight to his right leg and exhaled noisily.

"Ichigo, I had a feeling you were seeing that young man I saw at your home the day I stopped by to tell you about the convention. You were blushing and fidgeting too much. I'm more aware than you'd like to believe."

"Dad-"

"Ichigo, my son, why wouldn't you tell me about all of this? This situation with Yuzu and Karin could have been avoided."

"You think I don't know that? I feel _awful_ , but this isn't easy. How was I supposed to tell you that I not only have a split personality, but I'm gay as well? Oh, and I'm fighting in a very probably illegal underground fighting arena. Those aren't topics you can just casually talk about!"

"Yes, but now your sisters are involved. Who knows what's going to happen? I'm calling the police. This Sharp person was fool enough to leave a note, so maybe that can help," Isshin stated as he headed for the wall phone in the kitchen.

As if on cue, Ichigo's phone began to buzz.

Ichigo stared at the screen, an ominous feeling settling in his chest as he read "UNKNOWN". The last unknown call he'd received had been Sharp with the news of Karin's abduction. Ichigo gritted his teeth and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"My, my, Ichigo-san. I thought we had an agreement?"

Ichigo immediately remembered the voice. _Sharp_. Rage quickly spread through every fiber of his being, but he had to keep a level head. He needed to know about his sisters.

"You asshole! Where are they? Don't fuckin' touch them!" he snarled.

Screw a level head.

"Hmph! Ichigo-san, you went back on your word, and as such, you need to be punished-"

"Take me," Ichigo interrupted quietly. "We made the deal, so, let my sisters go. They had nothing to do with this. Please!"

There was a tense silence for a few seconds before Sharp spoke up with amusement lacing his tone.

"That is a _very_ good idea, Ichigo-san. In fact, it's absolutely perfect. I'll arrange the meeting for 1:30 PM at the train station. You'll see your sisters and the person you're to leave with. And no police, or not only will the deal be off, but your sisters will die. Don't be late, Ichigo-san."

Sharp ended the call, and Ichigo had to resist the urge to become violently ill. He'd told Grimmjow not to do something stupid, yet here he'd probably gone and done something worse. However, he couldn't bring himself to be angry or feel bad about his decision. If this was the only way he could help his sisters, then so fucking be it.

He glanced at his phone to check the time and realized that Sharp had only given him an hour to be at the train station. He chuckled dryly. He had to admit that the man was, if nothing else, cunning. Suddenly, Ichigo was yanked off the couch by the collar of his shirt and thrust into the face of a very ticked off goat-face.

"Ichigo, my son! This is _wrong!_ I won't let you do this!"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and swatted his old man's hand away before righting his clothes.

"Well, you don't really have a choice! I'm not gonna let anything happen to Karin and Yuzu because of my mess! It's _my_ fault, so _I'm_ gonna fix it!" he yelled.

His voice may have sounded angry, but in reality he was pleading with his father to let him do what needed to be done.

"Ichigo, let me call the police. They can-"

"No! He said no cops, or the girls will die. I'm not willing to risk it. Are you?"

Ichigo watched as Isshin fought internally, every emotion he was experiencing crossing his face before he slowly shook his head. Ichigo nodded resolutely and set his phone on the coffee table.

"In an hour, call Shinji and tell him what happened. He'll know what to do and who to contact," he said as he went to open the front door.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned to face his old man, wondering if it would be the last time he saw him. Then, he grinned.

"C'mon, Old Man, you don't think I'm gonna go down _that_ easily, do you?" he teased. Isshin raised a skeptical brow, but said nothing. "I'll be fine, Old Man. Don't worry. As a matter of fact, you should come wait outside of the train station so Karin and Yuzu will have a way home."

Isshin nodded and grabbed Ichigo's phone, stuffing it into his shirt pocket before grabbing his keys and a jacket. They rode to the train station in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts, but when Isshin pulled up outside of the bustling station, Ichigo's heart began to race. Although he was terribly nervous, he refused to show it and instead, glanced at his worried father. Isshin was watching him, looking as if any minute he would argue and fight with Ichigo to make him change his mind.

"Don't forget to call Shinji. I'll send Yuzu and Karin this way," Ichigo stated as he opened the car door.

"Ichigo! Make sure you come back!" Isshin ordered, voice stern as if he were scolding Ichigo for not doing his homework.

Ichigo smiled and nodded before shutting the passenger door and heading for the train station's entrance. He made his way down the stairs leading to the train platform and searched the wide area for his sisters. When he didn't see them, he sat on a short bench to wait. Maybe he was a little early. Not even five minutes had passed, when Ichigo heard Yuzu's voice calling out to him.

"Onii-chan!"

Ichigo's head whipped around, and he jumped from his seat before running towards his little sisters. Once he reached them, he hugged the two girls fiercely before checking for injuries. Satisfied that there were none, he stooped to their height to speak evenly with them.

"Goat Face is outside waiting for you. Go straight to the car, no stopping. OK?"

"Onii-chan, what about you? You're coming with us, right?" Yuzu questioned, tears shining in her wide, brown eyes.

Ichigo grimaced. "No. I'll see you guys later, but right now I've got somethin' to do," he explained, trying not to outright lie to the girls.

Karin seemed to see right through him.

"Ichi-nii, don't go," she said quietly.

"It's fine," Ichigo laughed. "I'm just gonna go talk to this guy and see if we can come to some sort of agreement. Nothin's gonna happen to me."

Yuzu sniffled, then stepped forward and hugged his neck.

"OK. We'll see you later, then, Onii-chan."

Ichigo smiled when Karin reluctantly stepped forward to hug him as well. He held on for as long as he could, until a throat was cleared directly behind him. Sighing, he leaned away from them, stood and gently pushed them in the direction of the entrance.

"Go. The old man's waiting."

They hesitated for a moment, but then waved as they ran for the stairs leading out of the train station. Ichigo watched them until they disappeared from sight before turning to face whoever was waiting behind him. A tall, blond man stood with his arms clasped behind his back and a friendly smile glued to his face.

"Ichigo, I presume?"

"Yeah. Let's just get this over with, OK?"

The blond nodded and gripped Ichigo's elbow as he led him from the train station. Something blunt was pressed into his ribs below where the man grasped his elbow. He frowned, then glanced down. When he spotted a gun, immediately his blood turned to ice.

_Holy shit!_

"Don't worry, Ichigo. If you don't struggle, this will only be for insurance," the blond stated quietly as he led him to a black car.

Ichigo was shoved inside first, the blond settling beside him and still holding the gun. Ichigo was sandwiched between the blond and a dark-haired man, who smiled before revealing a black strip of cloth and blindfolding him.

 _Oh shit_.

XOXOXO

**2:00 PM**

Shinji couldn't stop shaking as he dialed Starrk's number. How could Ichigo be so _stupid_? Then, he immediately felt bad as he realized Ichigo had only done it for his sisters. He tried to wait patiently for Starrk to answer his phone, but his knees bounced up and down nervously while he perched on his couch. He was terrified for his best friend.

"Shinji, I'm in a meeting with Aizen-"

"Ichigo's gone! He went with Sharp 'cuz that prick had his sisters and wouldn't let them go unless Ichigo took their place!" Shinji shrieked, composure crumbling.

There was a brief silence before Starrk sighed. "OK, calm down. I'll be right there once this meeting is over. You're at home, right?"

Shinji took a deep breath and replied affirmatively.

XOXOXO

**7:25 PM**

"At any given moment, there are usually thirty to forty men guarding the place, so if you can get around them, you can get inside with no problems."

Grimmjow stared at the man seated across the table and bit the inside of his cheek. The guy was _weird_. First off, he smelled like onion soup. Grimmjow felt like his nose hairs were smoldering the more he was exposed to the guy's offensive odor. Secondly, the man's short black hair stood on end as if it had never seen a comb or brush, and he had huge coal-colored eyes that seemed to see right through whatever he focused on. Thirdly, he was dressed in a long black trench coat, combat boots and...it seemed like nothing else because his chest and legs were bare.

Grimmjow glared first at Nnoitra and then at Cirucci, who was watching him with an amused gleam in her violet eyes. Was this a fucking joke?

"Thanks, Ryuichi. I'll have Hana-chan contact you later," Cirucci stated.

The strange man nodded before leaving the table, and as soon as he was out of earshot, Nnoitra beat Grimmjow to the punch in speaking up.

"'Rucci, what the _fuck_ was _that?_ " Cirucci leaned back in her seat and cackled loudly.

"Ryuichi may be eccentric, but he knows a lot. Plus, he used to be a Soul Reaper. He left a few months after Barragan did, though. Still, the things he knows are very valuable."

Grimmjow pursed his lips, finding it very hard to believe that _that_ man used to be a Soul Reaper.

"So, all we have to do is get around all that security, and that's it? Are they strong?" Grimmjow questioned as he scratched the tip of his nose before wrinkling it, trying to rid it of that terrible smell.

"I don't know. You're going to need help no matter what you decide to do. Their number is too large for just the two of you," Cirucci answered.

Grimmjow weighed his options, knowing she was completely right. They couldn't just go barging into the place with no help against a small army, but knowing Sharp's location made him feel _infinitely_ better. He was _so_ gonna kill that asshole.

"We could talk ta the Espada. If Barragan is already thinkin' bout reclaimin' his spot, he might just be willin' to listen. I know fer a fact Starrk'll help. The orange-head definitely. Yammy too. Jus' say 'fight' an' he's in. I don't know 'bout the rest, though," Nnoitra mused aloud.

Grimmjow thought it was a good idea. If they could get the Espada to help, Sharp's security wouldn't stand a fucking chance. He reached into his pocket for his phone, but when he pulled it out, he noticed it was off. Frowning, he turned it back on, only to have it instantly shut off. Shit. He'd forgotten to charge the damned thing. Glancing over at Nnoitra, Grimmjow started to ask the tall man to call Starrk, but the man's phone started ringing as if on cue. Grimmjow rolled his eyes. Probably Ulquiorra. He quietly snickered to himself, still unable to believe that those two were fucking.

"Yo," Nnoitra answered. "Yeah, he's right here." Grimmjow raised a brow as Nnoitra handed him the cell phone.

"Who is it?"

"Starrk. Says he's been tryin' ta reach ya all day."

"Yeah?" Grimmjow clipped into the receiver.

"Grimmjow, bad news, I'm afraid," the brunet Espada said slowly.

"What're you talkin' about?"

A lengthy pause preceded the other man's next statement.

"Sharp has Ichigo."

Grimmjow's head went unbelievably light, and his stomach clenched painfully. He swallowed several times before he was able to speak.

"When?"

"Sometime this afternoon. Shinji says Ichigo's father called him and told him that Ichigo had gone and traded himself for his sisters. Aizen wants to meet with everyone right now in the office," Starrk explained. "No exceptions."

"Yeah, I got it," Grimmjow said before handing the phone back to Nnoitra.

As he cradled his head in his arms on the table, he vaguely heard Nnoitra asking Starrk what was going on. The very thing Grimmjow had been afraid of happening had finally occurred. That fucking prick had his Ginger, and there was no telling what the asshole planned to do to him. What he'd _already_ done to him. Waves of nausea washed over Grimmjow as he tried to keep himself under control. It was hard. He wanted to punch something. Better yet, he wanted to destroy Sharp's face before turning him into a grease spot on the ground. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Nnoitra, who was standing next to him wearing an awkward expression.

"We'll get him back. C'mon, we gotta go," he said gruffly.

Grimmjow absently nodded as he rose from the table. His body seemed to move mechanically as they went to Nnoitra's car. Shit. He felt numb all over. Please let his Ichigo be alright.

XOXOXO

**8:30 PM**

Aizen steepled his fingers as he reclined in the chair behind his desk. He had requested the presence of all of the Espada so that tonight, the business with Sharp would be over and done with. Aizen would tolerate nothing less. He glanced to his right and smiled at Gin standing beside him. Aizen noticed the minute signs of excitement in the silver-haired man that any other person wouldn't. Aizen knew Gin wanted to be done with Sharp just as badly as he.

The Espada were scattered around the office, faces solemn as they waited for the last two members to arrive. Aizen was not pleased with the news of the Septima's abduction, but knew his feelings were probably nothing compared to the Sexta's. What surprised him, though, was the presence of Neliel, who had insisted on being there. It seemed she had grown rather fond of the Septima as well, since her aura radiated extreme upset. There was a sudden knock at the door, and after Starrk opened it, Grimmjow and Nnoitra walked in. Aizen studied the Sexta's demeanor and easily saw the pain and anger in his eyes and stance. Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it firsthand was completely different. He never would have thought he would see the day when the Sexta cared about someone other than himself. Aizen cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention before he calmly spoke.

"I'm sure that you'd like to know why you're all here, and it is this, simply put: you will assist me in the capture of one, Tanaka Sasaki, better known as, Sharp." He paused to gauge their reactions and was surprised to see Grimmjow exchanging surprised glances with Nnoitra. They'd probably planned to go in and find Sharp on their own. "I know his location, and we will move out tonight. Barragan will lead, and _we_ will follow."

Eyebrows raised all around the room, but Ulquiorra was the one to speak up.

" _We_ , Aizen, sir?"

Aizen smiled benignly. "Surely, you didn't think I would sit this one out?"

Soft chuckles and wide grins spread around the room like a virus. Yammy pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against, and his deep voice boomed over the laughter.

"So, what the hell're we waitin' for?"

"My thoughts exactly," Grimmjow added darkly.

Aizen's smile widened. Sharp didn't stand a chance.

XOXOXO

**9:00 PM**

"Ah!" Ichigo yelped.

He'd been holding back his cries for as long as humanly possible, but the pain was becoming too overwhelming. His arms were handcuffed behind his back, and his ankles were shackled together, making him defenseless as Sharp kicked and punched him ruthlessly. Ichigo's right eye was swollen shut, his nose and bottom lip were bleeding, and he was pretty sure a rib was broken. Fuck! This creep was such a wuss! He wouldn't face Ichigo like a _real_ man.

"So, Ichigo-san...have you learned your lesson?"

"Fuck you!"

Sharp retaliated with a brutal kick to Ichigo's abused torso, making Ichigo groan and curl up in pain. He wouldn't allow himself to fall unconscious, though, for fear of what the other man would do to him. It was then that he realized that he just might not make it out of there alive.


	20. Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

_Let the bodies hit the floor_   
_Let the bodies hit the floor_   
_Let the bodies hit the floor_   
_Let the bodies hit the flooooor_

_-Drowning Pool-_

XOXOXO

Sharp reclined in his leather office chair, smiling benevolently at the angry red head propped against the wall directly across from him. He had to admire the youth's tenacity, since he was still conscious after the beating he had taken. Impressive. Sharp was waiting anxiously for the hot-headed Sexta to start searching for his lover, and Sharp would be sure to know, considering his contacts were plenty. The moment the blue-haired freak began asking questions about him, Sharp would make his move.

"So, Ichigo-san, were you hoping for some assistance from that lover of yours?" he taunted.

He was absolutely secure in his belief that the little red head's friends had no idea where he was, so Sharp had been using that to dishearten him.

"Fuck. You."

He gave a depressed sigh and quirked his lips. That had been Ichigo's response to every question Sharp had posed and every statement Sharp had made. It was boring, but he had already grown tired of beating the boy, so it made no sense to keep hitting him when the results would only be the same.

"Is that all you can say?" Sharp tried again.

"You're a pussy."

Sharp cracked a grin. It was a start. He could definitely see why the Sexta was attracted to Ichigo. There was a fiery spirit trapped within that lithe body and an attractive face under the permanent scowl the boy was so fond of.

Out of nowhere, the security alarms began blaring, making Sharp jump. What the hell? He moved to the set of screens that were located against the wall and displaying the perimeter of the building, then frowned, panic beginning to spread through him like wildfire. They were blank, all of them showing nothing but static and white noise. What the fuck was this?

At that moment, the office door burst open and Takuya stumbled inside clutching his left side. His face was bloody, hair disheveled, and he was sweating profusely.

"What the fuck is going on, Takuya?" Sharp demanded.

"We've been breached! Th-they're here!" the man gasped before collapsing to the ground. That was when Sharp noticed the blood spreading from the spot Takuya gripped at his side.

"Who the fuck is 'they'?"

When Takuya didn't respond, Sharp stormed to his desk and snatched open the bottom right drawer, pulling a .380 from it's depths. After tucking the small weapon into the waistband of his slacks, he rushed to Ichigo and hauled him to his feet.

"Let's go!" he barked.

Sharp edged cautiously into the corridor, all of his senses on high alert. The lights were flickering and the scream of the alarm was deafening. Just who the hell had managed to breach his headquarters? A soft snickering floated from beside him, and he glanced at its source with a murderous glare. Could it be?

"I guess you've forgotten who you're dealing with," Ichigo stated with a malicious grin, and when Sharp didn't reply, he continued. "You've pissed off a lot of people, Sharp-san, and they're all coming for your head. Sucks to be you right now."

Sharp ignored Ichigo's laughter and made his way through the long, gray corridors, hoping to make it to his panic room. Dread flowed into his system, threatening to overwhelm him. If he were to believe what the red head was saying, that would mean... _no_. Impossible.

XOXOXO

Ryuichi had been sorely mistaken about the amount of people guarding Sharp's little hide-out. There were way more than thirty to forty guys, but...he didn't care. They were shit fighters, and he was having so much fun kicking their asses.

"Yer slow!"

"Fuck you! I'm on twenty!"

"Shit! I got fifteen!"

Grimmjow laughed maniacally as he damned near put his fist through a Soul Reaper's head.

"Ah! Make that twenty-one!" he corrected. Nnoitra cursed as he tossed a Reaper to the side. "C'mon, Stick!"

"Fuck you!"

They literally plowed through the Soul Reapers that seemed to be crawling out of the cracks in the floor and emerging from thin air like some type of video game. Grimmjow and Nnoitra had been paired together, then sent to enter through the rear, and it had been child's play getting inside once Szayel had disabled the security cameras.

The two fighters turned down another corridor, and ran into Aaroniero and Yammy standing over a floor full of bodies. For the first time ever, Grimmjow noticed the Noveno Espada smirking as he flexed his fingers. It was fucking spooky.

"So, the west is clear, then?" Nnoitra asked.

Yammy nodded and chuckled as he stepped over a few fallen Reapers.

"This was too easy. I expected more of a challenge!" his deep voice boomed.

"It was still entertaining," Aaroniero said softly and moved on to the next corridor, while Grimmjow gaped in astonishment.

Not only had the normally quiet and reserved Espada _smiled_ , but he'd _spoken_ too!

"Shit, that's fuckin' scary," Nnoitra mumbled.

Grimmjow nodded his agreement. They followed the red-haired man down the eerily silent hallways. What happened to the alarm? Grimmjow was a man of instinct and never really thought about his actions beforehand too much, but the silence was unnerving. He glanced at the others and noticed the tense muscles and frowns. Good. At least he wasn't the only one on edge.

The four Espada approached a large metal door at the end of the long hallway and paused to look at one another. Something was off about this situation, and neither one of them wanted to be ambushed or worse. However, Grimmjow – not one for prolonging the inevitable – turned the handle and kicked the door open. The room must have been soundproof, because there, in the wide open space of what appeared to be a large storeroom, was Halibel and Starrk fighting a mass of Soul Reapers.

A wide, feral grin stretched across Grimmjow's features as he cracked his knuckles. _Hell, yeah!_ The others were grinning as well at the sight of so many Reapers and the prospect of a good fight. Obviously what the Reapers lacked in skill, they tried to make up with number, but that shit wasn't going to work.

Grimmjow rushed into the room and immediately sent a Reaper to the ground with a hard right straight. Starrk and Halibel glanced in his direction and smiled, Starrk giving a small wave even as he kicked a Reaper in the chin. Halibel elbowed another in the face, who tried to catch her unaware from the side. There was pandemonium as bodies dropped left and right. Grimmjow, Nnoitra and Yammy added their yells and manic laughs to the cacophony of pain. It was fucking glorious! Now, all he had to do was find his Ginger and kill that fucker, Sharp.

XOXOXO

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"This is the address Yumi gave me, so this must be it."

"It looks like a warehouse."

"It probably is."

"Well, c'mon then."

Shinji and Renji crept around the side of the building as silently and quickly as possible, keeping to the shadows. Shinji didn't know why Starrk thought he was going to just sit back and do nothing while his friend was in danger.

 _So not happening_.

Renji peered around the corner and frowned in confusion before turning back to Shinji.

"Shin, the door's wide open, and there ain't no guards."

"Dumbass...that just means that the Espada got here first. 'Sides, it makes our job a lot easier. Now all we gotta do is go in and find Ich," Shinji stated.

"Nah, I don't think so."

Shinji whirled around to see three people wearing Shinrei-kei Noh masks and all black karate gi. They were trying to exude threatening auras by closing in on him and Renji, but only managed to piss Renji off. Without warning, Renji sent his foot crashing into one of the Reapers, making the other two leap at Shinji. What, did they think he was the weaker link? He dodged the two Reapers easily, while chopping one directly at the base of his skull, instantly knocking him unconscious. The last Reaper fell swiftly after from a precise kick to his chin. Shinji grinned, adrenaline coursing through his system at an astounding speed. He felt high from the excitement.

"C'mon," he said, before stalking to the open door with Renji right on his heels.

"How're we supposed to find Ich in here?" Renji groused, as they ran through another corridor.

"By looking, idiot!"

"Shinji? I thought I told you not to come here!"

Shinji cringed at the sound of Starrk's disapproving voice and cursed his luck. How did they manage to run into the exact person he was trying to avoid? As he turned to face his lover, he noticed Grimmjow running away from them and down another empty corridor. Shinji just knew he was going to look for Ichigo, and he desperately wanted to follow, but the look on Starrk's face stayed his feet.

"Starrk, Ichigo is my friend! What'd ya think I was gonna do? Sit on my ass?" Shinji yelled in frustration.

Starrk raised a brow and slowly approached him. "I don't want anything unnecessary happening to you, Shinji," the brunet explained quietly.

Shinji cocked his head and stared into Starrk's imploring gray eyes. He'd never seen the Espada so serious, and it gave Shinji pause. Before he could speak though, there was a loud crash and yelling erupted from the corridor Grimmjow had disappeared into. Then a shrill ringing reverberated throughout the building before quickly being shut off.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed, craning his neck to see what was going on.

As if on cue, Barragan rounded the corner, hands in the pockets of his black slacks, and the sleeves to his black blazer rolled to his elbows. His light-gray dress shirt oddly matched his hair exactly, and had the first three buttons undone. He was chewing on a toothpick, the end of it protruding from the corner of his mouth, as he strolled casually down the hall towards the small group, and his dark eyes were lit with devilish amusement. Behind him, Grimmjow was supporting an injured Ichigo by the waist with one of Ichigo's arms slung over his shoulders. Shinji started forward, but was stopped when he noticed a large man trailing behind Grimmjow and Ichigo, dragging an unconscious man by the scruff of his shirt.

What the hell had just happened?

XOXOXO

Ichigo was having _such_ a hard time keeping his eyes open, but his excitement over what was going on outside the small room Sharp had led them to was keeping him conscious. He could hear yelling and fighting, and he was thoroughly enjoying the panicked look on Sharp's face. The man was totally unprepared.

"This is ridiculous," Sharp snapped, as he took a seat in front of a console that housed small screens that were completely blank.

Ichigo chuckled and slid down against the wall. At least the bastard had taken the shackles around his ankles off. They'd been rubbing his skin painfully until he'd begun bleeding. All of the pain was worth it, however, if it meant Sharp's end. The man banged his fists against the console in frustration, and Ichigo shook his head. Sharp was rapidly coming undone, and Ichigo knew exactly how to push him over the edge.

"Why did you do all of this anyway?" Ichigo asked, feigning ignorance.

Sharp glanced up in shock, as if he'd forgotten Ichigo was there, but soon recovered and sneered.

"That Sexta stole Luppi's rank. Then, Aizen's little pet, Gin, fabricated a lie and had him killed!" he snarled.

"Luppi?"

Sharp actually blushed and averted his gaze. "My lover."

"Uh-hunh...you're a dumbass," Ichigo snorted, making Sharp immediately bristle in anger. "He was cheating on you."

"Fuck you! You don't know anything!"

"I know he was cheating on you. Said you were _terrible_ in the sack."

"You lie!" Sharp snapped, beside himself with rage.

Ichigo just shrugged. "He was sleeping with a friend of mine. That's fuckin' sad. You forfeited your life for a slut of a boyfriend. How's that _feel_ , by the way?"

"Fuck you!" Sharp roared as he advanced on Ichigo.

Ichigo only laughed again, refusing to cower before this chickenshit bastard, but before the man could completely close the distance, the steel door slid open. Sharp whirled around with his mouth agape, almost toppling to the floor in his haste. Ichigo recognized Barragan Luisenbarn immediately by the gray hair and five-point crown tattoo under his left eye, but the huge guy following him was unfamiliar. Sharp let out a choked gasp and stumbled backwards as Barragan stepped into the room looking first left then right, where his eyes fell on Ichigo.

"You OK, gaki?" his deep voice rumbled, lips moving expertly around the toothpick in the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

The flimsy wooden door that disguised the steel entrance of the panic room, swung shut ominously behind the large man following Barragan.

"Choe, five minutes," Barragan commanded. The huge man nodded and stood back against the left wall. "So, Tanaka, you've been busy, yes?"

Ichigo watched as Sharp's jaw clenched and his eyes widened even further. He was scared shitless. Stupid prick.

"Luisenbarn, wh-why are you here?"

Barragan raised a brow, before lifting the corner of his mouth in a small smirk.

"You're so nervous. Aren't you glad to see your old General, Lieutenant?"

"It's unexpected. I didn't think you would return once you left."

"Ahh, yeah, that. Turns out you're not doin' too well as the new General, so now I gotta come an' clean up your mess. I'm disappointed, Tanaka; I expected better from you," Barragan drawled, before taking the toothpick from his mouth, and scratching the back of his head.

Sharp's hand had steadily been easing behind his back, reaching for something in the waistband of his pants. Ichigo wondered if anyone else noticed it, then relaxed as he saw the man named Choe stand to his full height and narrow his already slanted eyes.

"Bold move, but sadly, not enough," Barragan stated, and without warning, delivered a series of crippling blows that left Sharp's face bloody and unrecognizable.

Holy fucking shit! The speed on that guy was scary! Ichigo had only been able to follow three of the blows before he lost track of Barragan's movements. Suddenly, the wooden door crashed inwards, drawing the attention of the occupants of the small room. Ichigo melted and felt a slow smile creep across his lips.

"What the hell is this! Barragan?" Grimmjow yelled quizzically, as he stalked into the room. "Where the fuck-"

His intense blue gaze landed on Sharp, and his lips pulled back into a snarl as his hands fisted at his sides. He stepped forward, but Barragan held out a hand as he reached into his blazer pocket and withdrew a small jar of toothpicks. Replacing the old one, he stepped around Sharp to the console that held the blank screens, and pressed a bright green button for a few seconds, causing a shrieking ring to echo throughout the building.

"I got this guy. Aizen wants him alive...for now, anyway. You got someone else to tend to," Barragan stated, and looked pointedly at Ichigo.

Grimmjow frowned, but turned to face Ichigo. His eyes immediately widened, then softened as he rushed over. Ichigo watched in amusement and trying not to laugh, while Grimmjow fussed over him like a mother hen.

"I need the key for these," he said to Barragan, indicating the handcuffs binding Ichigo's wrists.

Ichigo leaned his head against Grimmjow's shoulder as Barragan searched Sharp's pockets for the small key, then tossed it to the blue-haired man. Ichigo sighed in relief. It had to be over now, right? Aizen certainly wasn't going to let that asshole live.

"Ginger, stay with me, yeah? We gotta get you some help. C'mon, can you stand?" Grimmjow murmured, while slipping an arm around Ichigo's waist.

"I'm fine! Jesus, I'm just tired, s'all," he mumbled. He was actually exhausted and in a lot of pain, but that wouldn't make any difference. He still needed to walk out of there. Grimmjow started lifting, but Ichigo cried out and flinched drastically. "W-wait! I think he might've broken a rib."

Grimmjow's face darkened briefly, but the look quickly disappeared, as he slowed and gently assisted Ichigo to his feet. Barragan had just stepped from the room, when he glanced over his shoulder at them.

"Choe, bring Tanaka. Grimmjow, you can follow me to the storage room."

Grimmjow nodded, and they slowly began moving down the corridor behind Barragan.

"Grimm," Ichigo said quietly, gaining his lover's attention.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Grimmjow's steps faltered as he gave Ichigo an incredulous look. Then, he shook his head and smiled.

"What'd ya think, I was gonna let that fucker keep ya? You're mine, Ginger."

Ichigo laughed shortly. He was glad he was on Grimmjow's good side.

XOXOXO

Aizen smiled as he gripped another insolent Soul Reaper by the throat and squeezed tightly. The Reaper thrashed and clawed at his hand, but it was no use. Aizen's grip gradually tightened until the noises and movements ceased. He nonchalantly tossed the man aside and continued to the room where Barragan had instructed everyone to meet once the Segundo sent the signal. The signal had been in the form of a piercing ring that had the potential to puncture one's eardrums.

"Mah, mah. Moment a'truth, ne?" Gin asked with a wide smile. Aizen smiled back before drawing the silver-haired man to him for a lazy kiss.

"It is. Shall we?"

"After you, _Boss_."

Aizen's grin spread as he led the way into a large store room littered with the bodies of numerous Soul Reapers. There was a small space in the corner of the room that Barragan said he had once used for interrogations. A long, steel beam rose from the floor, and its base was wrapped with a considerable length of thick chain.

 _Interesting_.

Aizen quickened his steps when he noticed everyone gathered in a semi-circle around a figure slumped on the floor. Barragan leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. Obviously, the festivities had been delayed until Aizen's presence.

"Tie him to that beam, if you would, Yammy," he stated upon reaching the group.

"Course."

Aizen smiled as he looked down at the man known as Sharp. He could practically feel the sheer hatred rolling off of those gathered around, especially Gin. Oh, this was sure to be fun.

XOXOXO

Sharp hadn't even seen Barragan move. How could a man his age still be so fucking fast? It was ludicrous. He shifted uncomfortably and soon realized that he couldn't move. He was seated on something extremely hard, and his arms were trapped at his sides. His dark eyes snapped open, and he nearly wet himself from the sight that greeted him.

Right in front of him stood Sosuke Aizen, wearing a friendly smile, and beside him was his second-in-command, Gin Ichimaru – who looked very well – and a man wearing shades and all black. Behind them, forming a small semi-circle, was a group of frightening looking people, staring Sharp down with various degrees of hatred and disgust. There was also some amusement thrown into the mix, which only served to send shivers rocketing through his body.

On the far right, leaning against the wall with his arms and legs crossed, was Barragan, smirking devilishly at Sharp, and next to him was his loyal friend, Choe. The rest were seated on a pile of boxes. There was an extremely huge man with braids, a stoic-looking red-haired man, a man with rectangular glasses and pink hair, the orange-haired boy, Ichigo, the fucking blue-haired Sexta – who was grinning rather maliciously at him – a tall, skinny man with an eye patch – also grinning widely – a small man with green eyes and a blank expression, a scary ass blonde woman with green eyes, and a brunet man with gray eyes. There were two others in the background: a blond guy and another red head. They were all glaring at him, and Sharp wished he could disappear into the floor. He soon realized that he was chained to the interrogation post of the storage room, mouth gagged, and completely vulnerable.

 _Holy shit_.

"Hello, Sharp-san. Today is the day we pass judgment. Have you any last words?" Aizen asked benevolently. "Ah! That's right; you're unable to talk. That's too bad."

Sharp _did_ wet himself that time.


	21. Epilogue: When a Man Loves a Man

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**One Year Later**

Ichigo reclined against Grimmjow's chest as they both rested on the newly purchased chaise placed in front of the huge bedroom windows. He was seated between the blue-haired man's legs, a serene grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he thought of all that had occurred in the past year.

Aizen had tortured Sharp with mind games while the man had been chained to that steel beam, until Aizen had grown tired, and locked the man in a room with himself, Gin, and Grimmjow. Ichigo had been pissed about his broken rib, since it had kept him from joining the others in turning Sharp into a bloody stain on the ground. Which is exactly what happened – or so he was told by a gleeful Grimmjow. They had beaten the man until he was completely unrecognizable and ten steps beyond dead. Damn, Ichigo wished he could've been there for that.

Barragan resumed leadership of the Soul Reapers, and set about bringing them to their former glory instead of being the mindless thugs Sharp had created. He was still the Segundo Espada.

There had also been a few surprising developments with his friends and associates the past twelve months that had left Ichigo speechless.

Starrk went into business with Shinji, making him an official partner of the popular tattoo parlor he owned. Needless to say, Shinji was ecstatic and could always be seen dancing around like an over-active child. He and Starrk were living together and had been for the last six months. Ichigo was happy for them.

Ichigo's group of friends, Chad, Rukia, Ishida and Orihime were still around and attending the university. What shocked the hell out of Ichigo, though, was the news of Ishida and Orihime's engagement and impending baby. All he could do was wish them luck.

Shuuhei had become a close friend of Ichigo's since he had explained the situation to Grimmjow. The blue-haired man hadn't been thrilled, but had accepted the friendship. It also helped that Shuuhei was seeing a guy named Kensei.

Even more surprising was hearing of Renji and Byakuya going to France to get married. Ichigo had been simultaneously overjoyed and envious. However, his happiness for his friend overshadowed the tiny smidgen of envy.

Funnily, Nnoitra and Ulquiorra were still seeing each other, and Ichigo thought that the big, bad Quinto was in denial of his feelings for the petite Cuarto. It made for hilarious entertainment, but he never commented about it aloud.

Yumi got his man. Ichigo had been mortified approaching the stoic Noveno, but trust Grimmjow to pierce through the heart of things. He'd strolled right up to Aaroniero and asked him if he was gay. But what had made Ichigo almost fall over in shock had been the red-haired man's response. He had slowly smiled and nodded. Yumi, who had been waiting near Ichigo, had promptly squealed with delight, walked up to Aaroniero, and looped their arms together. He proceeded to drag the Noveno away, talking animatedly the entire time. Ichigo later heard that Aaroniero had "convinced" Yumi to quit the escort business.

After Sharp's death, Ichigo had moved in with Grimmjow, at the man's insistence, and even though they still argued and bickered like five year-olds, he wouldn't have it any other way. School was going well, although, at times, he found himself missing days whenever his position at Hueco Mundo left him injured or incapacitated.

Ichigo had reintroduced Grimmjow to his old man, this time announcing their romantic status. Isshin had gone on to completely embarrass him by pulling out old photos of Ichigo as a child and having random "Masaki-wailing" moments. God, the fucking horror of it all. Grimmjow had been in stitches, but all-in-all, his family had been pretty accepting of the whole situation.

It seemed everything was going so smoothly, he was almost afraid he would wake up in the morning having dreamed it all. At that moment, Grimmjow stirred behind him and pressed a soft kiss to his neck.

"Ginger," he started, voice a throaty rumble that reverberated into Ichigo's back. "What're ya doin' for the next...um...rest of your life?"

Ichigo wrinkled his nose in confusion. "What're you talkin' about, Grimm?"

"Well...I've been doin' some thinkin', and after seein' your friends do it, I figured...maybe we could too. I mean, I got the money for the trip and all, so..." Grimmjow trailed off, shifting uncomfortably.

Ichigo was _so_ lost, and it was unnerving, because Grimmjow actually sounded anxious and nervous. That, in itself, was fucking rare as hell. He turned to face his lover, gazing into his brilliant, blue eyes.

"Grimm, what's goin' on? What the hell're you talkin' about?"

Grimmjow swallowed, and eased from behind Ichigo, onto the floor in front of him. He reached into his jeans pocket, and clutched something in his right fist, moving too fast for Ichigo to see what it was. With his free hand, he grasped Ichigo's left hand, then gently massaged the slim fingers and deceptively hard knuckles. Ichigo frowned, but his heart suddenly began to race. What was going on?

"Ichigo, I have _never_ felt this strongly about anyone before, and I'm pretty sure that I never will. Yer...you've become everything I could ever want, and...I wanna keep you. For good. Forever. _Officially_ ," Grimmjow said, blue eyes beseeching and boring into Ichigo's warm brown. "I fuckin' love you...and...uh...well...shit...I guess..." Grimmjow trailed off and lowered his head as he took a deep breath. Ichigo, on the other hand, was stunned into disbelieving silence. Finally, Grimmjow lifted his head and locked eyes with him again. "Ichigo, will you marry me?" he asked quietly.

Ichigo's heart stalled in his chest. He'd had an idea once Grimmjow had gone down on his knee, but he hadn't wanted to get his hopes up in case the man had been playing an elaborate prank. Ichigo rubbed his mouth, eyes wide as he stared back at Grimmjow. His throat was clogging up, and he was having a really hard time breathing as well as keeping his wits about him. His face burned as a deep blush spread across his cheeks, down his neck, and up over his ears, and his eyes stung painfully.

"Y-you _want_ me? I mean, to m-marry... _me_?" he asked dumbly. Grimmjow nodded stiffly. "But why?"

"Why _not_? You don't...you don't wan – I mean, I guess I underst-" Grimmjow said, obviously starting to lose confidence as his gaze dropped to the floor again.

"What?! Shut _up_! I didn't say that, dumbass! I just..." Ichigo paused to catch his runaway breath. "Hell _yes_ , I'll fuckin' marry you...stupid. I _love_ you."

Grimmjow grinned hugely, and slid a solid, white gold band around Ichigo's ring finger. When he glanced back up at him, Ichigo grabbed the man's shirt collar and pulled him into a fierce kiss, tongues twining lazily.

What more could he ever ask for?


End file.
